Berberis lycium aka Indian Barberry

Berberis lycium belongs to the barberry family, Berberidaceae. This shrub keeps its leaves all year. Its native range spans Pakistan and the western Himalaya. It also covers north-northwestern India. It grows in a temperate climate. Wild plants grow among shrubs and on open hillsides. They often grow on hot, dry slopes in these places. In Kashmir, records place it up to 9,843 feet [3,000 metres] above sea level.

This shrub reaches about 10 feet [3 metres] tall. It grows at a moderate pace, not a fast one. Its leaves give woodland plantings a leafy look year-round. Flowers appear in May and June, with small fruits next. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers. The plant is self-fertile: it can set fruit with its own pollen. The fruits measure about 0.3 inches [8 millimetres] long.

It grows best in warm sites with moist loam and light shade. It also grows in full sun and accepts poorer ground. It can grow in sand, loam and heavy clay. Thin, shallow and dry soils need not rule it out. Soil can be mildly acid, neutral or mildly alkaline. This gives gardeners a choice of sites for the shrub. PFAF lists USDA hardiness zones 5–9 for this species. It withstands cold, but harsh winters can still cause harm.

Suggested sites include woodland with patches of sun and shade. Shaded edges are another choice. PFAF also lists it as a plant for food forests. Once established, plants cope with hard pruning. They send up new growth from the base. It crosses with ease with other members of its genus. Growers can raise new plants from seed. For best results, sow fresh, ripe seed in a cold frame. Stored seed may need a cold spell to sprout. Seedlings can suffer damping off, so good airflow matters.

People eat the fruit fresh or cook it into preserves. Its flesh is juicy and has a mildly sour taste. People also cook and eat leaves and young shoots. The leaves can take the place of tea. Roots yield a yellow dye and have recorded medicinal uses. Reports note medicinal use of the leaves, too. These reports do not prove home treatments safe or effective. PFAF lists no known hazards. It gives no safety evidence specific to pets.