Berberis empetrifolia
Berberis empetrifolia
Safety & Hazards
All parts of the plant contain the alkaloid berberine - this is most concentrated in the roots, stems and inner bark, and least concentrated in the fruits. In small quantities berberine has a range of effective medicinal applications but, in excess, can cause vomiting, lowered blood pressure, reduced heart rate, lethargy, and other ill-effects. The fruit of most, if not all, members of this genus are more or less edible and can be eaten in quantity since the levels of berberine in the fruit are very low.
Botanical Description
Berberis empetrifolia is a low, spreading, spiny, evergreem shrub that grows up to 50cm tall[ 679 Title Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 86 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 1999 ISBN Description Among many articles on botany, is a treatment of the genus Beilschmiedia. ]. The plant is often harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes cultivated as a fruit plant in home gardens in Chile[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ], and is also grown as an ornamental in gardens. It is a parent of several ornamental hybrids.