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28.08.2020

Barberry and its medicinal properties

Barberry ordinary - the most ancient medicine

It is very difficult for a barberry bush in a garden to get lost. Among other plants, it is immediately distinguished by red fruit clusters and purple foliage. And the fruits of barberry can be called live candies - they sour, and sweeten, and cool.

Barberry like medicinal plant, has been known since ancient times. AT Ancient Egypt, when “yellow fever” was rampant there, accompanied by “rotten diarrhea”, decoctions from barberry berries were widely used.

In the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, in the inscriptions on clay tablets made 2650 years ago, barberry berries are mentioned as "cleansing the blood." In the Middle Ages, both fruits, and leaves, and bark, and roots of barberry were considered a cure for many diseases.

In Russia, barberry has been grown for a long time. In the large "sovereign" garden, founded in Moscow under Tsar Ivan III, along with apple trees, cherries, currants, raspberries and gooseberries, barberries also grew.

Our grandmothers believed that barberry juice in household could completely replace the lemon. It was widely used as a seasoning for many dishes and even such a festive drink as punch. But, despite all its advantages, this ancient berry crop is not often found in our gardens.

All harvested parts of the plant have the richest and unique chemical composition. Fruits contain 5-7% sugars (glucose and fructose), from 3 to 7% acids (mainly malic, as well as tartaric and citric), up to 1.0% pectin, 0.5% tannins and colorants, up to 100 mg /% or more vitamin C, up to 500-700 mg/% P-active compounds, up to 10 mg/% carotene.

But their main wealth is from 10 to 25 mg /% of alkaloids, mainly berberine, a potent chemical compound of versatile action. 50 g of barberry fruits contains a daily therapeutic dose of this medicine, and a prophylactic dose is contained in only 10-15 g of barberry fruits or in half a tablespoon of fruits.

The most rich in berberine are the roots of the common barberry, where its content reaches 1%, and in the bark of the roots - even up to 1.5%. And barberry seeds contain a lot of fatty oil, somewhat reminiscent of sea buckthorn oil.

Leaves and flowers prepared for storage are dried thoroughly in well-ventilated rooms or in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 44-45°C.

The dug roots of the barberry are carefully shaken off the ground. You can’t wash them in water, because. berberine dissolves very well in it and is lost during washing. When harvesting the roots, the bark easily peels off from them, so a tarp should be laid under them. The roots are dried under a canopy or in dryers at a temperature of 45-50°C.

Barberry medicine is widely used in official foreign medical practice. Italian physicians use them in certain gastric diseases, against tumors of the spleen in patients with malaria. Indian doctors use barberry preparations to treat skin diseases caused by mosquitoes. And the roots and rhizomes are raw materials for obtaining drugs with antitumor activity. Japanese scientists have also confirmed the antitumor activity of barberry. In England and China, barberry is widely used to stop internal bleeding, and in the United States - to treat diseases of the liver and gallbladder.

In Russian official medicine, the drug berberine bisulfate is obtained from the bark of the common barberry, which is used for cholecystitis, cholelithiasis and chronic hepatitis. For internal bleeding, a 20% tincture of barberry leaves is used, and a 5% tincture is used for liver diseases. It is believed that the same barberry tincture improves heart function, lowers blood pressure, and has a calming effect.

AT folk medicine berries, leaves, bark and roots of barberry are used to strengthen the heart muscle, with insufficient pancreatic function, diseases of the liver, spleen, bladder, as a hemostatic and anti-inflammatory agent. Barberry fruits quench thirst well in febrile patients, stimulate appetite, have a mild laxative effect, increase the secretion of gastric juice, and improve digestion.

In diseases of the liver and gallbladder, an infusion of barberry leaves is used as an anti-inflammatory and choleretic agent. For this, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of crushed barberry leaves should be poured with 1 glass of boiling water, insisted in a thermos for 1-2 hours. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 4-5 times a day for 3-4 weeks.

To prepare an alcohol tincture, barberry leaves should be poured with vodka in a ratio of 1:6, insisted in a dark place for 10-12 days, shaking occasionally, strain. Take tincture 30 drops 2-3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.

In case of liver disease and lack of appetite, an infusion of barberry bark on wine is used. For this, 5 tbsp. tablespoons of crushed bark should be poured with 0.5 liters of dry wine, insisted in a dark place for 1 month, boiled in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain. Take 0.25 cup 3 times a day for 20 minutes. before meals.

In case of diseases of the liver and biliary tract, a collection of equal proportions of barberry fruits, birch leaves, wormwood grass, juniper fruits with yarrow grass is also used. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of crushed collection with 1 glass of boiling water, insist in a warm place for 1 hour, strain. Take an infusion of 0.75 cups 3 times a day ...

V. G. Shafransky

Barberry and his relatives: beneficial features

Recently, interesting and useful reports have appeared in our newspaper about the possibility of growing and using the Thunberg barberry, a very famous ornamental plant. Not without interest are other species of barberry and representatives of the barberry family, which has about 14 genera and 650 species. Among them there are both woody plants (shrubs, rarely small trees) and perennial herbs. Naturally, not all of them will be discussed, but only those that grow on the territory of the CIS and are of practical interest.

This is, first of all, barberry. The widespread cultivation of barberry began in the middle of the 18th century. Its fruits and roots were used as medicines for scurvy, jaundice and many other diseases. However, by the 19th century the popularity of this plant began to decline, which is associated with the harmful effect of barberry as a rust carrier on grain and fodder crops. been noticed- on the leaves of barberry, on the underside, the spring stage of linear rust develops (Russin ia graminus Pers.). Its spores infect closely growing cereal crops and fodder grasses. This significantly reduced interest in barberry. And in vain. In areas where there is no industrial cultivation of cereals, its cultivation will not bring harm and is quite possible. The decorativeness of the barberry is undeniable. However, it is promising not so much as an ornamental, but rather as a medicinal plant. This culture has been successfully growing in the North-West for many years and provides high-quality medicinal raw materials used in medical practice.

Let us consider in detail the range, biochemical composition and useful properties of 13 species of barberry living both on our territory and in the CIS countries. Long before the study of barberry in the laboratory, its beneficial properties were known to the peoples of many countries. Barberry is traditional among the Caucasian peoples, where, according to known information, about 3 species of barberry grow. This is b. densely flowered(B. den siflora), shrub up to 2 m tall, common in Eastern and Southern Transcaucasia. It is possible to find it on the rocky slopes of the rivers, in the steppe conditions. The roots containing about 0.65% of berberine, the main active ingredient that determines the healing properties of this culture, have healing properties. They are used by the local population to treat liver diseases. The barberry is also attractive as a good honey plant. Finds application and another Caucasian look b. Georgian(B. iberica), which is a shrub up to 3 m tall, growing in Eastern Transcaucasia on dry slopes, along pebbles in river valleys. It is also a good honey plant, interesting as an ornamental plant and widely used by the local population to strengthen mountain slopes. However, the most interesting among the Georgian species of barberry is b. Oriental(V. orientalis), as a well-studied medicinal plant. It grows in Eastern and Southern Transcaucasia, on dry slopes, among shrubs, along river valleys, on pebbles, reaches a height of 1800 m above sea level, occurs singly or in groups.

The biochemical composition of the plant has been studied. So, the roots contain up to 0.45% berberine, in the bark of branches and trunks up to 24% alkaloids. The wood is rich in yellow pigment, which is a good dye. Vitamins B1, B2, C, BB, E, carotene were found in fruits.

The plant and various dosage forms from it are used as choleretic and hemostatic agents. Roots, bark of trunks serve as a yellow dye for wool. Fruits are widely used b. oriental in everyday life. As a food plant, they are used in raw or processed form as a seasoning for meat dishes, in pilaf, for jam, juices, in confectionery and cooking. In medical practice, the fruits are used to treat diabetes.

Barberry is also widely used in Central Asia, both in folk medicine and in the traditional cuisine of the local population. According to our data, there are 7 Central Asian species of barberry. This b. various racemose(B. heterobotrys)- shrub up to 3.5 m high, inhabitant of Pamir-Alai and Tien Shan. It grows in mixed juniper-maple and pure maple forests at an altitude of up to 2000 m above sea level and in the black forest zone. For medicinal purposes, the local population uses a decoction of the bark of roots and stems containing a significant amount of berberine. They treat rheumatism, skin diseases, malaria, dysentery, conjunctivitis and infertility. The roots are used to obtain the drug berberine chloride, which is recommended for the treatment of trichomonas colpitis and urethritis. The leaves are used as an antiscorbutic. The fruits, fresh and dried, are used as a seasoning for food and as a dye for dyeing fabrics red and purple.

In the Pamir-Alai, Tien Shan, Dzhungaro-Tarbagataisk, along the banks of rivers and rocky slopes of mountains, among the thickets of juniper up to a height of 1000-3300 m above sea level, you can find b. entire (B. in te ge rrima), shrub 2.5-4 m high. This species is widely used for the treatment of many diseases by the peoples of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The biochemical composition of plants containing up to 0.9% alkaloids (0.39-0.9%) has been studied. Berberine up to 2%, iatrorricin - 0.25%, palmitin up to 0.05%, oxyacanthine 0.7%, berbamine 0.25% were found in the roots. The presence of magnoflorin, columbamine and 2-w-methyl-berbamine was determined. In the wood of the roots up to 0.8% berberine; in young shoots there is also a large set of alkaloids, as well as in leaves. in flowers- vitamin C and carotene, fruits, as well as flowers, contain vitamin C, carotene and a dye: a purple pigment. As a dye, it is also possible to use the bark of branches, in which a yellow pigment was found. Alkaloids isolated from this plant species have hypotensive, choleretic properties and have a tonic effect on the smooth muscles of the intestine.

In folk medicine of Tajikistan, an infusion of barberry roots is used for cardiovascular diseases, neurasthenia, rheumatism, fever, and external inflammatory processes. It is also used to dye fabrics yellow and olive, and the bark of the roots is used to dye wool and silk in golden, bright yellow and brown shades.

In folk medicine of Kazakhstan, a decoction of young roots is drunk for headaches, nosebleeds. Of particular interest is the use of the fruits of this type of barberry among the peoples of Uzbekistan in the form of an infusion to reduce blood clotting, with neurasthenia, as a cardiotonic, antipyretic, thirst quencher and fixing agent. Of no less importance is the food use of fruits both fresh and as a seasoning for meat dishes, for making jam, marmalade, marshmallows. And also as a dye for wool and silk.

The plant is a good honey plant and is used for strengthening and landscaping mountain slopes.

We have little information about the use by the local population for medical purposes. b. Kashgar(B. kaschgaria), growing in the Pamir-Alai and Tien Shan, on rocky slopes, old madders, high mountain plateaus at an altitude of 2700-3000 m above sea level, single bushes up to 1 m high. It is known that there are 0.55% of al- caloids in the whole plant, and the main alkaloid used in medical practice, berberine, contains 0.07% in the roots. The plant is a good honey plant and can be used in breeding for breeding new cold-resistant and drought-resistant varieties of barberry. Some more information is available about b. monetary(B. n ummubar ia), growing in the same areas as the Kashgar barberry, at an altitude of up to 1700 m. You can meet it, except for the rocky slopes of the mountains, along river valleys and as undergrowth in birch, willow and poplar forests . The biochemical composition of the plant is known. In the roots, up to 0.55% berberine, up to 0.1% iatrorricin, 0.03% palmitin, 0.4% oxyacanthine, 0.1% berbamine, and isotetrandrine were found. The leaves contain up to 0.05% alkaloids, vitamin C and carotene. In fruits - vitamin C and carotene. It is used by the local population in the form of various dosage forms.

A decoction of the roots and stems, in the experiment, accelerates blood clotting. Preparations from the plant have hemostatic properties. The fruits are used as an appetite stimulant and in the confectionery industry.

Good honey plant. Used to strengthen the banks of mountain rivers and to create hedges, decorative.

is of some interest and b. round-fruited(B. sphaerocarpa), growing in the Pamir-Alai, Tien Shan, Dzhungaro-Tarbagatai region on the rocky mountain slopes of the northern exposure, in gorges and along river valleys up to an altitude of 1500 m above sea level, where it forms thickets.

Plant height up to 2.5 m. Contains up to 2.3% alkaloids in various parts of the plant. The largest set of them is in the roots and bark of the roots. These are berberine, columbamine, palmitin, yatrorricin, berbamine, oxyacanthin, bervulcin, etc.

in the leaves- vitamin C, carotene and a small amount of al-kaloids. In fruits - pectin, vitamin C, carotene and tannins. Dosage forms in the form of decoction and infusion are used as stimulants of cardiovascular activity and cause excitation of the respiratory center. A tincture of the leaves is used for uterine bleeding and as an anti-inflammatory and choleretic agent, for hypertension.

Fruits - for jaundice, gastric diseases, neurasthenia, to improve cardiac activity, and also as a tissue dye in red or purple. Used in the food industry.

Little information is available about b. Turkmen(V. turcomanica), growing in the Gorno-Turkmen region in gorges and on rocky slopes of mountains (endemic). Berberine is found in the roots (up to 0.1%).

The plant is used by the local population mainly as food. Leaves as a substitute for tea have tonic properties. The fruits are used for kissels, syrups, jams, marshmallows, and in dried form - as a substitute for coffee. The plant is decorative, used for field protection structures, a good honey plant.

Of great interest as a useful and well-studied plant is b. Ili(B. iliensis), growing in the Balkhash region, Tien Shan and the Ili river basin, among tugai thickets, on sands, rocks, gravel slopes, where it reaches a height of 500-800 m above sea level and along the banks of the Ili river and its tributaries. This is a 2-3-meter shrub, in all organs of which, except for fruits, a significant amount of alkaloids and a diverse set of biologically active substances are contained. Microelements, copper, iron, phosphorus were found in the bark of stems and leaves.

In folk medicine of Central Asia, the plant and its dosage forms are used as antiscorbutic, choleretic, astringent, hemostatic, antipyretic and antimicrobial agents, as well as for catarrhal diseases and conjunctivitis. Preparations from roots, bark and leaves are identical in pharmacological action to preparations from official (pharmaceutical term, meaning plants are included in the State Pharmacopoeia) species of Amur and common barberry. From the seeds, a fatty oil is obtained that has bactericidal properties, used in the form of an emulsion ointment, effective for dermatoses. The species is quite rare, its reserves are limited, protection from destruction is recommended (listed in the Red Book).

Of practical interest for domestic medical practice are 3 types of barberry growing in Russia. This is b. Siberian(B. sibirica), common in Western Siberia, the Altai region, Eastern Siberia, the Angara-Sayan, Daur regions, on rocks, stony and gravelly slopes and placers, mainly in the lower and middle mountain belt. Unlike other species, this is a low shrub, about 1 m tall, but it is not inferior to them in terms of the content and quantity of alkaloids. In the roots, the presence of berberine is about 0.36%. The leaves contain a significant amount of flavonoids, and the fruits- vitamin C and organic acids such as citric and malic. Great and useful properties of the plant. Roots in folk medicine of Transbaikalia are used not only for common colds, but also for tuberculosis. A decoction of the roots is used for uterine bleeding, high blood pressure. The bark of the roots in the form of tincture and decoction was used in Tibetan medicine for the treatment of conjunctivitis, for pain in the joints, as a fixing agent, and in the form of a powder- in acute and chronic bronchitis, peptic ulcer, as a tonic. The aerial part of the plant has been used for jaundice. Wood and bark of roots- with conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal diseases, purulent inflammation of the lungs, as an antipyretic, hemostatic and fixing agent. Leaves- for the treatment of uterine bleeding. The tincture in the experiment causes contraction of the uterus, lowers blood pressure. An infusion of fruits was used for tuberculosis, peptic ulcer, joint pain, treatment of wounds, ulcers, conjunctivitis, scurvy. In the food industry, fruits are found wide application for the preparation of syrups, kissels, tinctures. They produce soft drinks, wine. Plant- good honey plant and very decorative.

B. amur(V. amurensis) grows in the Far East, in the Amur region and Primorsky Krai, in woodlands and among shrubs, along the edges of forests, on the banks of mountain rivers, on stony and sandy soils at an altitude of 150 to 60-0 m above sea level, in groups or alone. Alkaloids are present in all parts of the plant, and coumarins and flavonoids are found in the branches and leaves. This type of barberry has found wide application in folk medicine. Far East as an antiscorbutic, choleretic, astringent, hemostatic, wound healing agent. And in clinical practice, berberine isolated from the plant is used as a hemostatic agent and medicine for cholelithiasis and hypertension. The fruits are edible and are used in confectionery. The plant is used to create hedges.

B. vulgaris(B. vul garis) is a shrub up to 2.5 m high, found in the Northwest in thickets, along forest edges, in mixed or deciduous forests, on rocky slopes. This is the most studied, official (i.e., passed pharmacological and clinical tests, approved by the Ministry of Health for use in medical practice in the treatment of certain diseases) type of barberry.

The plant contains such significant alkaloids as berberine, berberrubine, columbamine, palmitin, jatrorricin, berbamine, isotetrandrine, oxyacanthin, magnoflorin, berwulcin, wurracin and chelidonic acid. The largest number the main alkaloid berberine is found in the bark of the roots- -9.4%, in roots- up to 2.38%. In addition to alkaloids, tannins were found in the bark of branches (up to 1.98%), vitamin C, in leaves, except for alkaloids- vitamins C, E, carotene, phenolcarboxylic acids, anthocyanins, carotenoids. In fruits- carbohydrates, pectins, organic acids, vitamin C, tannins, arotinoids. in seeds- up to 15% fatty oil.

The roots serve as a raw material for the production of berberine, which in the form of berberine bisulfate is used in medical practice as a choleretic agent, with a decrease in blood pressure, slowing of cardiac activity and uterine bleeding. They are part of the collection for the preparation of antitumor medicine according to Zdrenko. They are also official in the USA and are used there for the treatment of dysentery, gastric diseases. They are used by the peoples of Transbaikalia for colds, stomach and eye diseases, pleurisy, tuberculosis. Well known in Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan medicine. In Bulgarian medical practice, this type of barberry, in the form of tincture, is used for kidney stone disease, gout, rheumatism, backache.

The bark of the roots is approved for medical use, is part of the drug "Cholelitin". It is used for tumors of the liver, cancer of the stomach and throat. In the United States, infusions from the bark of the roots are used for hemorrhoids, gallbladder diseases. In homeopathy, it is used to treat metabolic disorders, diseases of the liver, kidneys, gout and hemorrhoids. Root bark alkaloids have antimicrobial and bactericidal activity, tone the smooth muscles of the intestine, and have antiprotozoal activity. The bark of the branches is used for postpartum hemorrhage and as a tonic, the leaves- as a cholagogue, with uterine bleeding, with scurvy and dysentery.

The fruits (tincture of them) are used as an antimicrobial, hypotensive and sedative, as well as for diseases of the spleen, stomach cramps, and for the treatment of diabetes. In confectionery and liquor production, they are used as a seasoning in the manufacture of drinks. In textile production, the dye obtained from this type of barberry gives a purple color. When using this dye in conjunction with alum, wool, linen, cotton acquire a pink color. Good honey plant. The wood of the plant is used for crafts and decorative work. They make small turning products and shoe nails. The plant is successfully cultivated throughout the European part of Russia.

V. Bogdanova

(Gardener No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, 2009)

Barberry: the most ancient medicine

More than 10 species of barberry grow in our country. Usually it is a thorny shrub up to 2.5-3 m high with erect shoots. Its root system penetrates deep into the soil. The plant is very photophilous, resistant to lack of water, has high winter hardiness.

Barberry as a medicinal plant has been known since ancient times. In ancient Egypt, when “rotten fever” was rampant there, decoctions from the berries of this culture were widely used.

In Russia, barberry has been grown for a long time. In the large "sovereign" garden, laid in. Moscow under Tsar Ivan III, along with apple trees, cherries; currants, raspberries and gooseberries grew and barberries.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, pharmacies sold barberry jam and syrup, which were recommended for fevers, diarrhea, scurvy, as well as to quench thirst and "unbearably hot."

Our grandmothers believed that barberry juice in the household could completely replace lemon juice. It was widely used as a seasoning for many dishes and even in the preparation of such a festive drink as punch. But, despite all its advantages, today this ancient berry crop is rarely found in our gardens.

Barberry blooms in May-June, the fruits ripen in September-October. Medicinal raw materials barberry has leaves that are harvested during and after flowering, roots harvested after fruit picking, the fruits themselves and the bark of the plant.

All parts of the plant have a rich and unique chemical composition. Fruits contain 5-7% sugars (glucose and fructose), from 3 to 7% acids (mainly malic, but also tartaric and citric), up to 1.0% pectin, 0.5% tannins and coloring substances, up to 100 mg /% or more of vitamin C, up to 500-700 mg/% of P-active compounds, up to 10 mg/% of carotene.

But their main wealth- the presence of 10 to 25 mg /% alkaloids, mainly berberine, a potent chemical compound with a wide range of effects. In 50 g of barberry berries there is a daily therapeutic dose of this natural medicine, and the prophylactic dose is only 10-15 g, or 0.5 tbsp. l. fruits.

The most rich in berberine are the roots of common barberry, where its content reaches 1%, and in the root bark- even up to 1.5%. Barberry seeds contain a lot of fatty oil, somewhat reminiscent of sea buckthorn oil.

Leaves and flowers prepared for storage are thoroughly dried in well-ventilated rooms or in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 44 ... 45 ° C.

The dug roots of the barberry are gently shaken off the ground. They cannot be washed, because berberine is easily soluble, and is lost when washed in water. When harvesting the roots, the bark peels off from them, so a tarpaulin must be laid under them. The roots are dried under a canopy or in dryers at a temperature of 45 ... 50 ° C.

Medicines from barberry are widely used in official foreign medical practice. Italian doctors use them in certain gastric diseases, against tumors of the spleen in patients with malaria. Indian doctors recommend preparations of barberry for the treatment of skin diseases caused by mosquitoes. And roots and rhizomes are raw materials for obtaining drugs with antitumor activity. Japanese scientists have also confirmed the antitumor activity of barberry. In England and China, barberry is widely used to stop internal bleeding, and in the United States for the treatment of diseases of the liver and gallbladder.

In Russian official medicine, the drug berberine bisulfate is obtained from the bark of the common barberry, which is used for cholecystitis, cholelithiasis and chronic hepatitis. For internal bleeding, 20% tincture of barberry leaves is used, and 5% is prescribed for liver diseases. It is believed that barberry tincture also improves heart function, lowers blood pressure, and has a calming effect.

In folk medicine, berries, leaves, bark and roots of barberry are used to strengthen the heart muscle, with insufficient pancreatic function, diseases of the liver, spleen, bladder, as a hemostatic and anti-inflammatory agent. Barberry fruits quench thirst well in febrile patients, stimulate appetite, have a mild laxative effect, increase the secretion of gastric juice, and improve digestion.

In diseases of the liver and gallbladder, an infusion of barberry leaves is used as an anti-inflammatory and choleretic agent. For this, 1 tbsp. l. crushed leaves of barberry should be poured with a glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 1-2 hours. Take 1 tbsp. l. 4-5 times a day for 3-4 weeks.

For liver diseases and lack of appetite, an infusion of barberry bark on wine is used. For this, 5 tbsp. l. crushed bark, pour 0.5 liters of dry wine, insist in a dark place for 1 month, cook in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain. Take 0.25 cup 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

In diseases of the liver and biliary tract, a collection of equal proportions of barberry fruits, birch leaves, wormwood grass, juniper fruits with yarrow grass is also used. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed collection pour a glass of boiling water, insist in a warm place for 1 hour, strain. Take 0.75 cup 3 times a day.

Used for hepatitis medical fee, consisting of 3 hours of barberry bark, 3 hours of mint leaves. 2 hours valerian root, 8 hours hawthorn flowers. To prepare a medicinal infusion, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed collection pour a glass of boiling water, insist in a warm place for 30 minutes, strain. Take 1 glass of infusion in the morning and evening.

For hepatitis and cholelithiasis, an infusion of bark or barberry roots is used. For this, 1 tsp. crushed raw materials should be poured with a glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 4-5 hours, strain, take 2 tbsp. l. 4-5 times a day for 5-6 weeks. The same infusion is used to treat gout and rheumatism.

As a choleretic agent in folk medicine, a collection is used, consisting of equal parts of barberry root, dandelion root and rhubarb root. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed collection pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain. Take 0.5 cup 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

For the same purpose, a collection is used, consisting of 2 hours of barberry leaves, 1 hour of strawberry leaves, 2 hours of corn stigmas, 1 hour of fennel fruit, 1 hour of yarrow herb, 3 hours of birch buds, 3 hours of calamus root . To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed mixture pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Apply 1 glass in the morning on an empty stomach, in the evening, before going to bed and in the afternoon 1.5 hours after eating.

With stones in the gallbladder, a garden collection is used, consisting of equal parts of barberry roots, branches black currant and rosehip roots. To prepare a decoction, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed mixture, pour 2 cups of boiling water, cook in a water bath for 10 minutes, insist in a warm place for 1 hour, strain. Take a decoction of 0.5 cup 3 times a day.

For kidney and bladder stones, a complex collection is used, consisting of 3 hours of barberry roots, 4 hours of strawberry leaves, 5 hours of marshmallow root, 3 hours of corn stigmas and 2 hours of birch leaves. To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed mixture, pour a glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 10-12 hours, strain. Take in a warm form, 0.75 cups 2 times a day.

With inflammation of the lungs and cough, juice from the fruits of barberry is useful. It must be taken in 1-2 tbsp. l. in a day. For colds, tea from the fruits of barberry is also useful. For its preparation 1 tsp. dry fruits should be poured with a glass of boiling water and infused like tea.

In chronic sinusitis, a collection is used, consisting of 1 hour of barberry bark and 2 hours of burnet root.

To prepare a decoction, you need 2 tbsp. l. pour the crushed mixture into a glass cold water, boil on low heat for 15 minutes, insist in a warm place for 1 hour. Use for inhalation 0.25 cups of decoction per inhalation.

In the treatment of rheumatism, other joint and muscle pains and fractures, a dry extract of barberry bark is effective. To prepare it in spring or autumn, you need to collect bark or young twigs, pour water in an enamel pan, boil over low heat for 50 minutes. Then let stand, pour into a clean bowl and boil over low heat without sediment until a thick or dry mass is obtained. Take on the tip of a knife 2-3 times a day.

For colds and spring beriberi, barberry tea is very useful. It is prepared at the rate of 2 tsp. dried barberry per cup of water. Barberry is often combined with another natural source of vitamin C.- rose hips, and sometimes included in vitamin teas along with dried rose hips, mountain ash and black currant.

Barberry preparations are widely and officially used in cosmetics to strengthen and grow hair, with age spots, freckles and acne, oily facial seborrhea and seborrheic dermatitis, and also as a tonic for sagging skin.

And in “home cosmetics”, a decoction of barberry fruits and leaves is used to wash the head with excessive dryness of the hair. It relieves inflammation, itching and dandruff.

In Russian cooking, the use of barberry is rather limited. But young barberry leaves can be used instead of sorrel and chard for cooking green cabbage soup, fresh and dried fruits are put in soups to give them a sour taste, the pulp of fresh fruits successfully replaces lemon, they can be pickled and salted. Unripe fruits are sometimes used as a seasoning to replace capers.

In eastern cuisine, dried barberry berries serve as an indispensable seasoning for pilaf, shish kebabs, and shurpa. Barberry not only gives these dishes a pleasant peculiar sourness, but also fortifies them and speeds up the cooking of meat due to the content of a large amount of acids.

Excellent dessert dishes are prepared from barberry fruits: juices, syrups, preserves, jam, wine, liqueurs, tinctures, fruit waters, confectionery. And honey, taken by bees from barberry, has a light golden color and a unique delicate aroma.

Remember! Infusions and decoctions of barberry, as well as its berries, should not be taken by pregnant women and people prone to thrombosis.

V. Loiko

Photo: Barberry: harvest in my garden (G. Kazanin)

Look for barberry planting material on the page

Beloved by many gardeners, it is a shrub or tree of the Barberry family. Today we will talk about the nuances of its cultivation and reproduction, about the most spectacular species and varieties that can decorate your garden.

Its berries are edible and contain citric and tartaric acids. It is from berries that sweets, marshmallows, and jams are made. Some species are used to make honey. Its leaves are also edible, they are used in the manufacture of various marinades. Yellow paint is obtained from roots, bark or wood.

Reproduction of barberry

cuttings. The cuttings are cut and rooted in the greenhouse. Cover with foil, you can pour. The greenhouse is ventilated and the cuttings are watered as necessary. When the first young leaves appear, the greenhouse is opened to harden young cuttings. The soil must be constantly loosened.

Seeds. To do this, you need to select well-ripened, ripe berries. Separate the bone from the pulp and dry. It will not be superfluous to treat with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Sow in autumn, before the onset of cold weather, in specially prepared soil. You can sow in the spring, but then the seeds need to be stratified all winter (mixed with sand and kept in a cold place). After six months or a year, the strongest seedlings are selected and transplanted to a permanent place. Fruiting begins 2-3 years after they emerge, every year, but since they cross-pollinate, it is necessary to have several plants nearby.

layering. On the bush, you need to select one-year-old young branches, make grooves about 20 cm deep in the near-stem circle. As soon as the soil dries, tilt and lay the shoots in the groove, securing them. Then fill them with soil, leaving the top of the shoot on the surface. By autumn, ready-made seedlings can be obtained by this method.

The division of the bush. It is necessary to carefully dig and cut the mother bush. If the bush is strong, you can carefully cut the root system with a garden saw.

Landing barberry

Barberry loves soils of normal acidity. If pH is above 7, swipe. You can do this even when landing. To do this, add a mixture of earth (peat, soddy soil, humus) and about 400 g of slaked lime or about 200 g of wood directly into the planting hole measuring 40:40 cm.

If you plant bushes singly, then the distance between them should be no more than 1.5-2 m. If you equip, then you need to prepare a trench for the seedlings and place them at the rate of 2 pcs. for 1 running m.

Barberry can grow both in the sun and in the shade. But the plant itself loves the light, many varieties in the shade lose their decorative foliage - spots, patterns, color saturation.

You can choose barberry seedlings in our market, where the products of many large online stores are presented.

Barberry, planting and care, the use of this beautiful plant for garden design is the topic of our conversation. In gardens and cottages, this shrub is often used to create a hedge, as it tolerates pruning without any problems. Different varieties barberry have leaves of different color shades. There are tall and dwarf varieties. With proper selection, it will decorate your site at any time of the year. Delicious with a pleasant sourness, barberry berries are another reason to plant it in your garden. Blooming barberry is fragrant, but smells unobtrusively, so you can safely plant it under the windows of your house or at the porch.

Common barberry is an ornamental deciduous shrub that was grown back in Ancient Rome, Greece, the monasteries of Tibet, Ancient Russia. It was valued not so much for its high decorative effect, but for the most valuable healing properties berries. Gardeners most often plant common barberry or Thunberg barberry. Sometimes, but much less often, you can find Amur, Korean and Canadian barberries in the gardens. In our time, barberry has become an ornamental and "caramel" plant. Why caramel? If we lived in the Amazon jungle, we could become the owners of such wonderful plants as milk, cabbage or chocolate tree. And if fate threw us into the African savannah, we would successfully grow a bottle, breadfruit or melon tree, while admiring the blossoming flowers on a tulip tree.

However, having a wonderful and cozy corner native nature in your country house or garden plot, we can well afford to grow an equally exotic "caramel tree". This is how the well-known barberry is often called, reminding us of carefree childhood times, when we enjoyed fragrant fragrant caramel candies “barberries” with pleasure.

Barberry, photo and description of the shrub

Barberry ((Berberis) belongs to the botanical family Barberry. It can grow both as a tree and as a shrub plant. natural conditions it most often grows in mountainous areas, but today it can be said that it is widespread and grows successfully in all corners of the world. Deciduous and evergreen species of barberry are known.

For those who choose a place to plant a barberry, it is important to know that the shrub does not have root growth. And this means that it will not grow in breadth, “capture” new territories.

Barberry is drought tolerant. He tolerates shade and partial shade well, but he still likes the sunny area. He is not afraid of drafts and strong gusts of wind.

in gardening and landscape design barberry bushes have been used for a long time and quite successfully. This plant is spectacular at any time of the year, and can also bring tangible benefits to you and your garden.

In spring, the aroma of blooming barberry will attract hard-working bees. In summer, bright greenery will delight the eye with its freshness. In autumn, a fantastic combination of bright colors of foliage will enliven a sad garden. And in winter, ruby drops of berries on a snow-white snow blanket will remind you of a hot summer.

Due to its decorative effect, the barberry looks great both in single plantings, and in compositions with other plants, and in hedges.

I must say that there is one little nuisance that awaits gardeners who decide to decorate their plot with barberry - it has thorns. But this same feature can be used as a plus. Barberry is indispensable for hedges. You can be sure that not a single uninvited guest will crawl through the barbed fence.

A single-row hedge usually includes 4 plants per linear meter. Two-row - 5 bushes per 1 running meter. A free-growing hedge involves planting 2 plants per 1 linear meter.

Bushes lend themselves well to shaping and pruning, and undersized varieties are great for borders and decorate rock gardens. A variety of leaf colors allows you to make interesting color compositions, combining purple with greens, and variegated varieties with bordered ones.

Barberry planting and care in the open field

When to plant barberry

People often ask when it is better to plant barberries, in spring or autumn.

If the summer in your region is hot and dry, then remember the moisture-loving nature of the barberry. Can you provide it with moderate humidity during the summer season? Then plant in the spring. And if for you a permanent stay on the site in the summer is fraught with certain difficulties, reschedule the landing for the autumn.

In autumn, it is advisable to plant barberries during mass leaf fall, when all trees and shrubs, including barberries, go into hibernation.

Despite its unique usefulness and high decorativeness, the barberry is completely unpretentious, and caring for it is not difficult.

Its only “whims” are good lighting and moderate soil moisture.

The composition and fertility of the soil, changes in temperature and humidity do not affect its decorative effect. If you still arrange regular “haircuts” for him, then the grateful barberry will grow, bloom and bear fruit with truly royal generosity.

Propagation of barberry cuttings

There are many ways to breed barberry, there is always the opportunity to choose the most convenient for you. Seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush, root cuttings, self-seeding, grafting - the whole arsenal of tools is at your disposal.

However, the method of propagation of barberry by cuttings is recognized as the most problem-free.

Cuttings can be prepared for propagation during early spring pruning of shrubs. Lignified branches are suitable for cuttings.

After cutting, the lower part of the cuttings is dipped in Kornevin or Heteroauxin powder and placed in a container with wet sand. Such cuttings can be left in the garden, but for more successful rooting, the cups with them are covered with a small greenhouse. Such a greenhouse will keep the cuttings from sudden frosts and maintain the moist environment necessary for rooting.

Reproduction of barberry seeds

Reproduction by seeds makes it possible to obtain a lot of planting material, but this is a rather lengthy process. It is better to sow the seeds in the winter, before the onset of severe frosts. For spring sowing, seeds are stratified for 3-4 months at a temperature not higher than +5°C.

At the site of seedlings, the seedlings are left for 2 years, and then for another 1-2 years they are left for growing in the "shkolka". And only after that they are assigned to a permanent place.

Reproduction of barberry by dividing the bush and layering

Most fast way reproduction - division of the bush and layering.

Propagation by dividing the bush is usually suitable for well-grown plants. In this case, neither the mother bush nor the part of the plant that we will separate will suffer.

Reproduction by layering is a relatively hassle-free method of reproduction. To do this, we take a healthy lower branch of barberry and bend it away from the bush so that it can easily lie on the ground. Before that, we make a shallow groove from the base of the bush, into which we will lay a branch for rooting.

On the branch, which we have identified as the most suitable for rooting, we make 2-3 shallow cuts from below with a sharp knife. It is in the place of the incision that the roots will form.

We pour a groove, lay a branch and fill it with earth. To prevent the branch from rising, we pin it to the ground with either metal brackets or wooden sticks, sticking them at an angle. The upper end of the bent branch should be raised vertically above the ground, tying it to the post.

Now the most important thing is not to let the soil dry out at the rooting site. Water the groove periodically so that rooting is more successful.

How to care for barberry

Do not forget that the older the barberry bush, the worse it adapts after transplants.

Landing methods depend on the final goal. With a single placement of a bush, the distance to the nearest plants is left at least 2 m.

Due to its unpretentiousness, barberry can grow on any soil with any level of acidity. However, if possible, it is desirable to provide him with the most comfortable conditions by adding humus and sand to the soil mixture and liming the acidified soil.

One of the elements of care is top dressing, which allows for a long time to maintain the decorativeness of the bushes and abundant fruiting. Top dressing is recommended to start in the second year after planting. The first top dressing is carried out in the spring with nitrogen fertilizers at the rate of 30 g of urea per 10 liters of water. In the future, it is enough to apply complex mineral fertilizers once every 3 years.

Traditional watering, weeding and loosening are carried out every 2 weeks, and immediately after planting new plants, it is necessary to mulch the soil under them.

An important point for maintaining the decorativeness of the bushes is pruning. Hygienic pruning is carried out annually in the spring, all old, dried, weak and poorly developed shoots are removed. Molding of hedges starts from the second year. With it, up to 2/3 of the above-ground part of the plant is initially removed, and in subsequent years in June and August, it is cut to 1/2 of the height of the hedge.

Like all plants, barberry needs protection from pests and diseases. Its main enemies are barberry aphid, flower moth, powdery mildew and various fungal diseases.

As a preventive measure in the spring, it is necessary to treat with a solution of laundry soap prepared from 30 g of soap and 10 liters of water. When caterpillars are found, barberry bushes are treated with chlorophos or decis, according to the instructions.

To protect against fungal diseases, spraying with a solution of Bordeaux liquid or colloidal sulfur is considered effective, spraying is carried out in three stages: after the leaves appear, and then two more times with an interval of 20 days.

Barberry - useful properties

Long before our era, barberry berries were used as effective remedy for rejuvenation, blood purification, treatment of many diseases. Mentions of this are found on clay tablets made by the ancient Assyrians.

Now the enormous value of barberry has been scientifically proven. The set it contains useful substances is able to remove toxins, cleanse the body, slow down the aging process, restore damaged cells, cope with inflammatory processes in the body, prevent cardiovascular diseases, resist atherosclerosis.

And this is just a small list of the healing virtues of the "caramel tree", which can not only give us health, but also bring a piece of beauty, harmony and charm into our lives.

For the design of rock gardens, planting hedges or other decorative forms, you will need strong and healthy barberry seedlings. You can buy them in specialized stores. It's fast but expensive. For large-scale plantings, it is better to get seedlings in other ways.

1. Seeds

The easiest and most affordable way. Gather well-ripened berries, remove the seeds from them. Rinse in warm water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If the seeds are planted in autumn, they can be treated with growth regulators. If spring sowing is planned, the seeds should be kept in a cool place (you can on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator).

For planting, the earth is dug up right in the garden, the seeds are sown in rows. Seeds have a low germination rate. Out of 10 seeds, according to statistics, no more than three will sprout, so do not be afraid to thicken the plantings. Autumn seeds will sprout in spring. Seedlings need to be given time to grow well and get stronger. In a year and a half, two years, they will turn out good planting material.

2. Cuttings

For cuttings, healthy annual branches are chosen, the lower part of which is already stiff. Cut into sizes from 10 to 15 cm. The lower cut must be made at an angle. Choose branches with 3-4 internodes.

Prepared cuttings are soaked in a growth accelerator, phytohormones are used.

Planted in a mixture of sand (1 part) and peat (2 parts). Rooting occurs at home or in a greenhouse. Landings must be covered. The cuttings need constant monitoring. They are aired, if necessary, watered and sprayed with water, the earth is constantly loosened. A sign that the cuttings are rooted will be the appearance of new leaves. Now the cuttings are hardened and prepared for transplanting to a permanent place.

3. Layering

Reproduction by layering is a method accessible even for beginners. Choose a bush that is suitable for propagation. Clean and loosen the trunk circle. Find annual, well-woody branches. In the direction of growth of these branches, small trenches are dug. The selected branches are laid in them, pinned (you can use a wire bent in half).

The whole procedure is done in the spring. Water during the summer and remove weeds. In autumn, roots will appear, new seedlings are ready. Do not rush to plant them, let them overwinter and get stronger.

The most painful and dangerous way for the plant. The plant is dug up, cut into pieces and planted in a permanent place. If you do not divide the bush correctly, you can lose the entire plant. Leave this method as a last resort and try to get planting material in other ways.

Rules for planting barberry

After the seedlings are grown, we proceed to planting young plants in a permanent place.

Barberry adapts well to any conditions and soils. But still, there are some rules for planting a plant.

The plant cannot develop well on soils with high acidity. If you know for sure that the soil in your area is acidic, be sure to take measures to neutralize it. This is easy to do. You just need to add slaked lime to the ground.
For planting, choose well-lit places; in poor lighting, some varieties lose their decorative color.
When planting barberry seedlings, keep in mind that they grow in width. Leave enough room for them to do so.

Planting a single plant

To plant a single plant bought in a store, you must choose a place at a distance of no closer than two, three meters from other plants. A hole needs to be dug larger than the earthen ball of the plant itself.

It is advisable to cook nutritional composition from sod land, peat, humus, taken in a ratio of 2:1:1. Water the seedling well, carefully remove it from the container, trying not to damage the root system.

Carefully examine the plant, if you notice damage or rotting of the roots, remove this area. If there are no special preparations, treat the cropped area with a solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkle with activated charcoal.

Important! Do not deepen the growing point when planting. This will slow down the growth, flowering, fruiting of the plant, and may lead to its death.

After planting, water the barberry well and if the weather is very hot and dry, make a small shelter. After the plant takes root, the shelter must be removed. Seedlings bought in containers take root faster and better.

If you need to plant a seedling with an open root system, spread the roots well in the hole, this will speed up the plant's survival. Such a seedling will require more attention, and the time for its rooting will be longer.

Planting a hedge

When planting seedlings for growing hedges or other ornamental plantings, two-year-old rooted cuttings or seedlings grown from seeds are used. For these purposes, they dig a trench of the required shape. If the soil is not fertile enough, prepare a nutrient mixture and lay at the bottom of the trench, the width of which should be at least 45-50 cm. When planting, carefully monitor the level of plant penetration. Remember the point of growth. After planting, plantings must be well shed with water and covered from direct sunlight.

Barberry plant care

For all its unpretentiousness, in order to grow a healthy and beautiful plant good care needs to be taken. It is better to plant evergreens in partial shade, and deciduous plants where there is more light. Otherwise, the color of the leaves may change, and their beauty and attractiveness will disappear.

procedure	Description
	Barberry is not very picky about water. You need to water the plant once every 7 to 10 days. But if the weather is very hot, watering must be increased. This is especially true for young seedlings. Rain water is sufficient for mature plants. You don't need to water them. Unless, of course, there is a drought. With a constant lack of moisture, the leaves will grow small and their surface will not be glossy.
	If during planting a sufficient amount of fertile land was introduced into the pit or trench, then the plant will receive all the necessary nutrients from the soil. Top dressing will need to be carried out next year. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the spring, and complex fertilizers can be fed at the end of summer. Adult plants practically do not fertilize or rarely fertilize (1 time in 4-5 years), hedges annually.
	Specialists share pruning and cutting plants. Pruning is the sanitary removal of diseased, dried branches. Also, pruning is necessary for the plant with a strong thickening. Carry out pruning in early spring. When the plant is not in bloom yet. Young shoots are cut out, and when the bush ages, rejuvenating pruning is carried out. In this case, on the contrary, old branches are cut out, and a new plant is formed from young shoots. Hedges are subject to sanitary pruning in the same spring. But they cut them twice during the summer period. In spring, after flowering and at the end of summer. Single plants, if desired, to give them a decorative or geometric shape, the same is subject to shearing. Young plantings are shaped in the second year after planting.

Diseases and pests

Compared to other ornamental plants, barberry is less prone to disease. Under adverse conditions, it is affected by fungal diseases.

The causative agent of the disease is a fungus of the genus microsphere. Mushrooms of this species affect only one plant - barberry. The disease develops, gradually affecting the leaves, then passes to the stems. Sick plants are, as it were, "dusted with flour." Powdery coating is visible on both sides of the sheet. Formed and matured spores remain on the plant all winter. In the spring, the infection of the plant will continue.

2. Rust.

If in the spring, when examining the plant, you notice orange spots on young leaves, turn the leaf over and look from the back. Is the leaf affected by bulges? Your plant has become a haven for rust fungus. And the convex growths are the repository of hundreds and thousands of spores that are ready to infect both cultivated and wild-growing cereals. However, fungi use barberry not only as an intermediate host, but also harm the plant itself. With severe infestation, the plant may die.

Spotting can be caused by various pathogens. By infecting the plant, they weaken it. They disrupt life processes. Sick plants cannot prepare well enough for winter. Young seedlings may die, adult plants freeze strongly. Signs of the disease are spots of various shapes and sizes, drying of young shoots.

4. plant wilting. Mushrooms, the causative agents of this disease, are found in contaminated soil. Through the roots of the plant, they enter the branches and leaves, thus affecting the entire plant. The virus is very insidious. Causes rotting of roots, wilting of leaves, death of young shoots. An infected plant is very difficult to save.

5. Drying of shoots. The causative agents of the disease infect the bark of plants. Spores, falling on the plant, penetrate under the bark and rapidly developing, form entire colonies. The plant starts to dry out. If you carry out sanitary pruning in time, the barberry can be saved.

6. bacteriosis. It is also called plant cancer. When infected with this dangerous virus, the plant becomes covered with cracks, growths. Affected leaves, petioles, young shoots are covered with brown spots. Leaves die off quickly. For unknown reasons, the disease does not affect the flowers and berries of the barberry.

Of the pests, the most dangerous are barberry aphids and flower moths. Barberry aphids can spread very quickly on the plant. Sucking the juice from the leaves and young shoots, leads them to death. Moth larvae devour barberry berries.

Complex preparations are used to combat diseases and pests. Processing is carried out as needed 1 - 3 times per season.

Important! Timely preventive measures will help get rid of problems with diseases and pests.

In addition to treatment with special preparations, it is necessary to regularly fight weeds, remove and destroy fallen leaves in the fall, inspect and sanitize plants in a timely manner, then your barberries will bring you only joy.

Video - Planting barberry

Video - Features of barberry thunberg. barberry care

Beautiful - barberry - will give your backyard a magical and unique look from spring, when its yellow flowers with a delicate aroma, until late autumn, when clusters of bright red fruits are amazingly combined with orange leaves, bloom. And if we add to this also high medicinal properties, then the barberry is a settled issue. Caring for this plant is simple, and the hedge is just gorgeous.

plant description

The name of this original ornamental bush comes from the Arabic beriberi, which means shell. The flower petals really remind her. The barberry plant is distinguished by branching, thorns and bark of a light brown color. The size of the bush can reach a height of 3.5 m. The rhizomes are lignified, creeping. Shoots with edges - straight, yellow, later they will turn gray-white. On shorter shoots from the buds, leaves appear up to 4 cm long, thin, elliptical or obovate. On longer shoots, three to five spines up to 2 cm long develop.

In the spring, in late April and early May, fragrant brushes of yellow flowers appear on the plant. Their number can reach up to 25 pieces. By the end of September, the bush bears fruit with bright red or purple fruits of an oblong shape. Barberry has seeds up to 7 mm long, narrowed and flattened in its upper part.

Distribution and ecology

Previously, barberry could only be found in Europe, Transcaucasia and Western Asia. He preferred the forest-steppe zone with sufficient lighting and dry soil. It was also possible to meet him in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 2 km. What does a barberry bush look like growing in wild nature? The plant has a rather unsightly appearance. Today, due to the fact that a huge number of varieties have been bred, ornamental bush barberry can not be found except in the Arctic or Antarctica.

Beneficial features

In addition to ripe berries, all other parts of the plant contain the alkaloid berberine. The roots also contain other alkaloids: oxyacanthin, iatrorricin, palmatin, columbamine. There are many tannins and aromatic resins in the bark, and vitamin K in the leaves. Ripe fruits contain carotenoids - lutein, flavoxanthin, xanthophyll, etc., as well as sugars, malic acid, pectins.

Back in Ancient Russia, roots, branches and bark insisted on alcohol to stop the flow of blood from wounds and relieve inflammation. Barberry is an ideal antibiotic, a gift from nature, which was used to treat various colds. An infusion of fruits strengthened the immune system, supported the liver. And in ancient Rome, it was believed that the barberry brings happiness and good luck, so it was protected in every possible way.

In modern official medicine, tincture of alcohol from the leaves is used in gynecology to stop uterine bleeding and slow down inflammatory processes. Berberine is used to treat major liver and gallbladder problems. An aqueous infusion of the fruit relieves attacks of malaria due to its strong diaphoretic properties. With rheumatism, it soothes pain with its help.

The use of barberry

Berries are widely used in cooking: juices and fruit drinks, jams and jellies. And add dried berry powder to meat sauce, and you won’t drag your relatives from the plate by the ears. In Central Asia, pilaf is not cooked without barberry, and the peoples of the Caucasus add it to horseradish.

Due to the sour taste, barberry is able to replace vinegar. And immature pickled fruits can perfectly replace capers. Tincture and decoction are used in veterinary medicine as a hemostatic agent for various wounds in animals.

Barberry and pregnancy

Unfortunately, in an interesting situation, one should completely refuse to eat both the berries themselves and various tinctures. Due to the alkaloids contained in the plant, a miscarriage is possible. Also, in pregnant women, the fruits can provoke the formation of blood clots.

However a small amount of sauce for meat containing barberry will not harm, so if you really want to, then eat to your health. Just do not forget that everything should be in moderation.

How and where to plant barberry

Planting a barberry bush begins with choosing a place. This plant prefers open areas well lit by the sun. And for species that belong to the Central Asian, you need to select a place so that there are no drafts. The requirements for the soil of the barberry bush are as follows: loam or well-dried soils, because the plant does not like waterlogging.

Planting a barberry bush in the place allotted for it for growth is carried out in the spring, before the buds begin to bloom, but it is also possible to plant in the fall, when the leaves begin to actively crumble. Before planting in the pit, add a mixture of humus, earth and sand (in equal proportions). The depth should be 25-30 cm for 2-3 year old seedlings and 40-50 for 5-7 year olds. If you plan to make a hedge, then you need to plant bushes in a trench. If the soil in your area is acidic, for example peat, then under the bushes you need to add 200 g of wood ash, lime or dolomite flour - 300-400 g. Only 100 g of superphosphate will be needed from fertilizers.

How to care for a barberry bush

If you have planted barberry bushes, caring for them will be easy. If the site for planting was initially chosen correctly, and the soil was provided with good aeration, then the roots will be healthy and will be able to breathe. Just sometimes you need to loosen the soil and remove the weeds.

In the spring, at the beginning of the season or immediately after flowering, you need to cut the barberry. The bush is trimmed annually. This action is directed to the formation of a lush crown and the removal of weak and diseased shoots. And do not forget about the sharp barberry thorns during care. The next year after planting in the spring, be sure to feed your barberry with nitrogen fertilizer. The size of the bush and its lush flowering will thank you for such care. Fertilizing should be repeated every three years.

The main methods of breeding barberry

There are four main ways to propagate barberries in your area: dividing the bush, planting with layering, summer cuttings and seeds.

Seeds should be sown in the fall. Squeeze freshly picked fruits, rinse running water and dry. They need to be placed at a depth of no more than one centimeter. The soil at the same time should be loose, and the landing site should be well warmed up by the sun. By summer, the plant will delight you with friendly shoots. But it is better to transplant a barberry bush in a year.
The plant propagates easily from summer cuttings. Just put the right amount of them into the soil in June, and in a couple of years you will have enough material to plant.
Dividing the bush is another way of reproduction. In this case, the main bush is carefully dug up so as not to damage the root system, and cut into several parts. If the roots are very thick, they are simply cut along and the resulting parts are planted in new holes, moistening them abundantly before planting.
Layers are made in the spring from young and healthy branches. Grooves are dug around the bush, into which the selected branches fit. There they are fixed and sprinkled with earth so that only one top remains outside. The entire season, the layers are well watered, and in the fall you will have bushes ready for planting.

Pests and diseases

Although the ornamental barberry bush is quite resistant to both fungal diseases and pests, it is also susceptible to them. Of the fungal infections, anthracnose and powdery mildew are most common. In the first case, the disease manifests itself as round brown spots on the leaves, in the second - white, as if sprinkled with flour, bloom on branches, leaves and flowers. Fungal infection is the first sign of excess water. Fungicides are used for treatment, and the affected parts are trimmed, which must be burned.

Barberry is a plant that is an intermediate host of such an agricultural scourge as a rust fungus that infects cereal crops. That is why its cultivation near the fields of rye and wheat is unacceptable. The only exception is the Thunberg barberry, which is not susceptible to rust infection. When the disease occurs, orange spots with pads on the underside are visible on the leaves, in which spores ripen in large numbers. They spread to cereals, both wild and cultivated, with the help of wind.

Another disease is caused by a fungus from the genus Fusarium. Infection occurs through the roots, which rot, and the fungus rises through the vessels along the branches, causing the bush to wilt. If you cut the branch, you can see the rings of brown vessels.

Of the insects, the most common pest is the barberry aphid. Its presence can be seen by wrinkled and dried leaves. You can get rid of aphids with a solution of laundry soap (300 g per bucket of water). The moth caterpillar eats the berries. If they appear, treat the barberry with Chlorophos or Decis.

The most common types of barberry

Very unpretentious in the care of Berberis vulgaris, or an ordinary barberry, whose height can reach two or more meters. The leaves are dark green and the flowers are a brilliant yellow. The fruits are quite edible, juicy, with a sour taste, painted in bright red.

If severe frosts are in your area, then this species is for you. It tolerates frost well and survives drought well. It can be propagated by seeds, dividing the bush and cuttings. Need a hedge so no one gets through? Barberry ordinary will help with this. However, take care of your bushes from excess moisture, this species is very susceptible to diseases caused by fungi.

The plant has many varieties:

Atropurpurea is a barberry bush, the photo of which is presented below, with red leaves.
Aureomarginata - a plant bordered by a golden line.
Albovariegata with variegated leaves.

When propagating original varieties, it should be taken into account that when planting with seeds, only a part of the plants will retain their varietal characteristics.

Berberis canadensis, or Canadian barberry, as the name implies, came from North America. It differs from its European counterpart in greater spreading. Frost and drought resistant. It is mainly used for landscaping on the American continent, therefore it is extremely rare in Russia.

Berberis thunbergii, or Thunberg's barberry, is native to China and Japan. This is a small shrub up to a meter high, but in diameter it can reach one and a half meters. The shoots are covered with small spines very densely. The flowers are reddish-yellow in color, collected 2-4 pieces in small inflorescences. But the berries are unsuitable for food because of their bitter taste, although birds eat them with great pleasure.

Unlike European and American counterparts, Thunberg barberry practically does not suffer from fungal diseases, including rust. It is easy to propagate it both by seeds and by dividing the bush; cuttings also easily pass. This species has more than 50 varieties that differ in the original color of the leaves, their shape and size. If you meet an unusually colored barberry bush, the photo of which will interest you, most likely it is Thunberg.

Berberis x ottawiensis, or is a hybrid obtained by crossing a red barberry and Thunberg. The main difference is the dark purple obovate leaves. When autumn comes, they turn deep red. Beautiful brushes of yellow with a reddish tinge of flowers, which are collected in 8-10 pieces, bloom at the end of May. From its "parents" the plant acquired all the best - the beauty of color, unpretentiousness and immunity to fungal diseases.

Berberis koreana, or Korean barberry, whose bush height reaches two meters, has large obovate leaves, leathery to the touch. In autumn they turn purple-red. The plant is native to the Korean Peninsula. The flowers are collected in long racemes of 15-20 pieces, and the smell is very strong. Barberry is very unpretentious in care and resistant to frost. Only in windy cold winters can its tops freeze slightly. But he will not like thaws, during this period the humidity is very high for him, and this plant, as you know, is very susceptible to rust.

Berberis integerrima, or whole-edged barberry, came to our household plots from Central Asia, where it grows at an altitude of up to 2500 meters above sea level. The height of the shrub can reach two and a half meters. The spines are small, one and a half centimeters long, and the leaves with a solid edge are painted in a grayish-green tone. Up to 20 yellow flowers can be collected in inflorescences, and the fruits are maroon with a bluish bloom. The entire barberry bush does not like acidic soil. Planting and caring for it is quite simple. Mature plants survive even the most severe winter, but young ones can freeze over, but they easily tolerate pruning and grow back quickly.

Berberis sphaerocarpa, or spherical barberry (otherwise called multi-legged), came to us in home gardens from the mountains of Central Asia. The shrub can reach 2.5 meters in height, very sprawling, with gray-green leaves finely serrated along the edge. The inflorescences collected in 5-10 flowers are very fragrant. The fruit with a bluish bloom is painted dark blue.

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan constantly use berries in cooking, add them to barbecue sauce and shurpa. Fruits are an excellent means of combating scurvy, as they are very rich in ascorbic acid.

This species is very unpretentious in care, tolerates even extreme heat and a long drought. It tolerates frosty winters well, but young shoots may suffer, so it is better to cover them. But excessive moisture can lead to the disease of the spherical barberry, it is especially susceptible to rust. Plant it in a place that is not blown by through winds, and the soil is dry and not acidic, and you will enjoy delicious fruits and beautiful appearance. Propagated best by cuttings and seeds.

Berberis nummularia, or coined barberry, came to us from the steppes of Central and North Asia. Shrub very branched up to 2 meters high. The reddish branches are covered with very large spines up to 3 cm long. The bluish-green leaves are very hard, entire, oblong-elliptical in shape. large flowers bright yellow colors collected in brushes. Ripe oval berries are bright red. Up to 3-4 years of age, the barberry is subject to frostbite, after which it recovers for a long time. It does not like highly moist soil, as it is very susceptible to fungal diseases. But drought, even strong and prolonged, is not afraid. The soil he needs is light, not acidic.

Originally from the Far East. In the wild, it prefers to settle on the river coast and forest edges. Outwardly, it is not much different from the ordinary Amur barberry, whose height can reach 3.5 m. Large, serrated glossy green leaves turn either yellow or purple in autumn.