Barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) is a deciduous shrub from the barberry family of the same name (Berberidaceae). It grows up to 3 meters in height, forming branches that are like twigs, reddish in their youth, bridle, later woody, become gray-brown and deeply furrowed. The root system is well developed.

The buds are small, only 1 mm in size. The leaves are alternate, ovate or elliptical, 4 cm long, 2 cm wide, finely serrated, ciliate hairy, located on short stalks arranged in bundles. In autumn, they become reddish. The flowers are bisexual, regular, small, yellow-orange, gathered 8-25 in hanging clustered inflorescences up to 5 cm long.

Fruits are smaller, elongated berries, up to 12 mm long and red in color, containing one to three seeds. They hang in clusters on short stalks and ripen in late August and September.

It is widespread in southern and central Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. It grows most often in light forests, along forest edges and thickets from the lowlands to the mountain belt. We propagate it by seeds or even better by cuttings that we take from adult plants during the summer. Prefers sunny areas or light shade, dry, rocky, fertile, basic to calcareous soils.