Berberis cretica
Berberis cretica
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 cretica is a low-growing, sometimes prostrate, deciduous shrub with crooked branches that are formidably armed with three-forked spines. Although often procumbent, the plant can ometimes reach a height of up to 150cm[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant used to be cultivated in Cyprus for the dyestuff obtained from its roots and stems[ 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. ]. The fruit is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, whilst the plant has a range of potential medicinal applications. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.