Berberis sibirica aka Siberian Barberry

Berberis sibirica is a small deciduous shrub in the barberry family, Berberidaceae. Its native range includes Siberia and Mongolia in eastern Asia. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. In the wild, it grows among rocks on stony slopes. It also occurs on desert slopes and in rock streams. These sites lie mainly in lower mountain zones. The plant reaches about 2 feet [0.6 metres] tall. It loses its leaves rather than keeping them through winter.

Flowers appear from June to July, and insects pollinate them. Each flower has both male and female organs. The species is self-fertile, so it can set fruit alone. It bears fruit freely, according to Plants For A Future. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The supplied account does not describe its taste or colour. The roots also provide a yellow dye. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards for this species. That report does not establish that every part is edible.

This shrub prefers warm, moist loam but accepts much poorer ground. It can grow in thin, dry, shallow soils. It also tolerates heavy clay and soils low in nutrients. Suitable soils range from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. Give it full sun or light shade in cultivation. A woodland edge or a site with dappled shade can suit it. Plants For A Future describes it as not frost tender. The evidence gives no numbered hardiness zone.

Plants can regrow from the base after hard pruning. They also cross freely with other members of the genus. This matters when raising plants from seed near other barberries. Sow fresh seed in a cold frame once it ripens. It may then sprout in late winter or early spring. Seed from fruit left too long takes more time. Stored seed may need a period of cold treatment. Sow stored seed early in the year in a cold frame.

Young seedlings can suffer from damping off, so provide good airflow. Move them into separate pots once large enough to handle. Keep growing them in a cold frame at this stage. Strong plants may be ready for planting out in autumn. Plants For A Future generally favours keeping seedlings protected through their first winter. The source does not flag this species as weedy.