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Barberry

 

 

We find barberry shrubs mostly in North and West Estonia, at the verges of forest roads, in dry meadows or in sparse woods. It prefers calcareous habitats.

 

The trusses of red oval berries attract attention. They are strongly sour, juicy and edible. The tiny, up to one a half centimetre long berries grow in clusters and contain two or three hard-shelled seeds. In addition to being rich in vitamins they contain wholesome acids and sugars. The berries become tastier when frost has had a bite at them.

 

The branching shrub grows two, more seldom three, metres high. The leaves are narrow, tiny and attached to the branches in groups, with three-pronged needle-sharp spines at the base. Young shoots have only one spine.

 

It is not known if the barberry has spread naturally to Estonia or if for instance birds have brought it into nature from some manor park and the species has simply become naturalized. For landscaping the Thunberg barberry / Berberis thunbergii / with colourful autumn foliage is used, but its berries are not edible here.