Gagnepain's Barberry - Berberis gagnepainii

Description

A spreading shrub up to 2 metres tall. The leaves are evergreen, simple, lanceolate to elliptical, toothed, the teeth tipped with short spines. The leaves and flowers are borne on short shoots in the axils of 3-parted spines. The inflorescence is a fascicle of 2 to 15 yellow flowers. The berries are glaucous (waxy), dark blue-black and rather oblong.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Unless identified by a recognised expert, photos are required showing various parts of the plant. If the photos don't show the key ID features then in the comments box describe the size and identifying characters you have observed.

Habitat

Popular for hedging and widely planted in parks and gardens. It is naturalised on walls, in hedges and on river banks.

When to see it

In flower in June, the fruits ripen from September to October.Evergreen

Life History

Evergreen.

UK Status

It was first recorded in the wild in 1984 (Surrey), and is becoming more frequent.

VC55 Status

Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Gagnepain's Barberry
Species group:
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Ranunculales
Family:
Berberidaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
1
First record:
10/11/2020 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
10/11/2020 (Calow, Graham)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

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