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Berberidaceae FAMILY

Berberis chilensis

Berberis chilensis

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
Growth—

Berberis chilensis is a plant of the temperate zone of central Chile, where it can be found at elevations up to 2,000 metres. It is not very cold-hardy, tolerating occasional temperatures falling as low as -5°c. It grows in arid to semi-arid environments, experiencing dry seasons that can range from 3 - 10 months long and a mean annual precipitation ranging from 100 - 800mm with rain falling mainly in the cold season[1]. An easily grown plant, it prefers a position in partial shade[1]. Some Berberis species (especially Berberis vulgaris) harbour the black stem-rust fungus (Puccinia graminis Persoon). This is a major disease of wheat and barley crops and can spread from infected barberries to the grain crop. The sale or transport of susceptible or untested species of Berberis is illegal in the United States and Canada[2]. We do not know the status of this species.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, when it should germinate in late winter or early spring[3]. Seed from over-ripe fruit will take longer to germinate[3], whilst stored seed may require cold stratification and should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as possible[4]. The seedlings are subject to damping off, so should be kept well ventilated[5]. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame. If growth is sufficient, it can be possible to plant them out into their permanent positions in the autumn, but generally it is best to leave them in the cold frame for the winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, preferably with a heel, autumn in a frame[3]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Berberis+chilensis>

Pollinators

Insects, Self

References

  1. [1]ChileFlora — http://www.chileflora.com/index.html ↩︎Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
  2. [2]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  3. [3]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  4. [4]Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. — McMillan-Browse. P. · Grower Books · 1985 · ISBN 0-901361-21-6 ↩︎Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
  5. [5]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  6. [6]Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 86 — Missouri Botanical Garden · 1999 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Among many articles on botany, is a treatment of the genus Beilschmiedia.
  7. [7]Medicinal Plants of China — Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. · Reference Publications, Inc. · 1985 · ISBN 0-917256-20-4 ↩︎Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
  8. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎