Image to followAI-generated illustration

Berberis thunbergii

FamilyGenus: Berberisnon-native in Germany

🌿

Species

interact

🔗

Interactions

documented

🐛

Host relationships

Species

About this species

Berberis thunbergii is a deciduous, woody shrub introduced to Great Britain, where it is now established. It bears broad leaves and grows up to 2.44 metres tall, with a flowering period in May. It was brought in through ornamental horticulture.

Ecological network

Click to highlight connections · Click again to open the species page

Loading network...

Larval host

Ecological significance

Berberis thunbergii is an introduced shrub that has become established in the wild in Great Britain, originally imported for ornamental use.

Annual cycle

This deciduous shrub produces new leaves in spring. It blooms in May. In autumn the foliage is shed, and the plant remains leafless throughout winter.

Standort & Merkmale

Light

—

Moisture

—

Soil

—

Flowering period

Mai – Mai

Growth form

Strauch

Woodiness

Verholzt

Leaf type

Breitblättrig

Leaf phenology

Laubabwerfend

Plant height

2.442 m

Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)

Scientific profile

Berberis thunbergii is a deciduous, woody shrub with broad leaves. It typically reaches a height of about 2.44 metres. Flowering occurs in May, and its seeds have a mass of around 16.96 milligrams. The species has been introduced to Great Britain, where it is now established, having arrived as an ornamental plant.

Host relationships

2 species use this plant as a host

Pareulype berberata (Denis & Schiffermüller), 1775Hemithea aestivaria

Sources & data origin

•Cook et al. (2025) UK Butterfly & Moth Traits (DOI: 10.5285/dbc7cc17-cbbd-49dd-bab4-8e8855768d66)

•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)

•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)

•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)

•Checklist Alien Plants Belgium — Verloove F (2023), Botanic Garden Meise (CC BY 4.0)

•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)

All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →