Barberry

Evergreen or semi-deciduous, spiny, yellow-wooded shrub to 4-5 m (occasionally 7m) tall. Stems are tough and woody, with yellowish-grey bark and tough, very sharp, single or three pronged spines (to 23 mm long) where the leaves meet the stem. Leathery leaves (25-75 x 10-25 mm) are variably-shaped, usually spiny-serrate and often turn reddish in autumn. Clusters (up to 6 cm long) of smelly yellow flowers (5-7 mm diameter) are produced from October to November and are followed from March to May by oval, reddish-black berries (7-12 mm) with a dusty white look to them and dark red juice.