Berberis aristata
| Berberis aristata | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 11' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Berberis aristata (common name: chitra)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in late winter or early spring[1]. Seed from over-ripe fruit will take longer to germinate[1]. Stored seed may require cold stratification and should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as possible[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first winter. Once they are at least 20cm tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seedlings are subject to damping off, so be careful not to overwater them and keep them well ventilated[3].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very difficult, if not impossible.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, preferably with a heel, October/November in a frame[1]. Very difficult, if not impossible.
Cultivation: Prefers a warm moist loamy soil and light shade but it is by no means fastidious, succeeding in thin, dry and shallow soils[4][5]. Grows well in heavy clay soils.
Plants are very hardy, they survived the severe winters of 1986-1987 without problems in most areas of Britain[K].
Plants can be pruned back quite severely and resprout well from the base[5].
The fruits are sometimes sold in local markets in India[6].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[7]. Most plants cultivated under this name are B. chitria., B. coriaria., B. glaucocarpa. and, more commonly, B. floribunda[8][5].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas in Nepal.
Habitat: Shrubberies to 3500 metres[9]. Open hillsides at elevations of 1800 - 3000 metres[10].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[11]. A well-flavoured fruit, it has a sweet taste with a blend of acid, though there is a slight bitterness caused by the seeds[6][K]. The fruit is much liked by children[6][K]. It is dried and used like raisins in India[12][13][14][15]. The fruit contains about 2.3% protein, 12% sugars, 2% ash, 0.6% tannin, 0.4% pectin[6]. There is 4.6mg vitamin C per 100ml of juice[6].The fruit is about 7mm x 4mm[6] - it can be up to 10mm long[5]. Plants in the wild yield about 650g of fruit in 4 pickings[6].
Flower buds - added to sauces[14][15].
Medicinal: The dried stem, root bark and wood are alterative, antiperiodic, deobstruent, diaphoretic, laxative, ophthalmic and tonic (bitter)[16][17][18][6][19]. An infusion is used in the treatment of malaria, eye complaints, skin diseases, menorrhagia, diarrhoea and jaundice[19][20].
Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Berberis species, has marked antibacterial effects. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery[21]. It should not be used with Glycyrrhiza species (Liquorice) because this nullifies the effects of the berberine[21]. Berberine has also shown antitumour activity[21].
Usage: A yellow dye is obtained from the root and the stem[16][17][10].
An important source of dyestuff and tannin, it is perhaps one of the best tannin dyes available in India[6].
The wood is used as a fuel[22]. The spiny branches are used for making fencing around fields[10].
Pollinators: Insects, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Also Known As: B. chitria. B. coriaria.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ McMillan-Browse, Philip. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books, 1985.
- ↑ Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Parmar, Chiranjit. Wild Fruits of the Sub-Himalayan Region. Kalyani Publishers, 1982.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Ahrendt, Leslie. Berberis and Mahonia. Journal of the Linnean Society, 1961.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Simmons, Alan. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles, 1972.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Gupta, Basant. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press, 1945.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Manandhar, N. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Himalaya. Department of Medicinal Plants, 1993.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.