''Berberis koreana'', the Korean barberry, is deciduous shrub that can grow up to in height. The species is endemic to Korea. It is widely planted as an ornamental tree in North America, South America and Europe.

Distribution

''Berberis koreana'' is endemic to Korea. It has been recently used as an ornamental tree in the United States. The genus '' Berberis'' however, ranges widely in Temperate zones of

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

and Eurasia. The species is reportedly naturalized in a few locations in the US State of Vermont.

Habitat and ecology

''Berberis koreana'' is a deciduous shrub that is considered

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...

which means it can tolerate temperatures as low as . The species can also tolerate a range of soil types; it can be in a well-drained or moist soil. ''B. koreana'' can be placed in full sun or part shade but does not prefer to be in full shade.

Morphology

Individuals of this species are deciduous shrubs with berries that are purple to red in color. The leaf margins are dentate and have inflorescences in

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

s on reddish branchlets. The leaves are simple, alternating, are either elliptical or oval shape and are dark to medium-green in color. They show pinnate venation with smooth edges that are in length.

Flowers and fruit

The flowers of ''Berberis koreana'' are approximately in length, appear in clusters, and are yellow in color when they bloom in the spring. ''B. koreana'' has egg-shaped, red to purple berries in the fall and winter months. The flower has six yellow sepals, six stamens and six petals that can be yellow to dark orange-red. ''B. koreana'' has 1-10 seeds that are tan to red-brown or black.

Uses

Food

''Berberis'' berries are edible but sour and are mostly used in jams and jellies. However, eating high quantities of ''B. koreana'' berries can result in adverse side effects (see

Intoxication Intoxication — or poisoning, especially by an alcoholic or narcotic substance — may refer to: * Substance intoxication: ** Alcohol intoxication ** LSD intoxication ** Toxidrome ** Tobacco intoxication ** Cannabis intoxication ** Cocaine i ...

section).

Medicinal purposes

There are no established medical uses for barberry. However, roots of other ''Berberis'' species were used by American Indians and settlers to help with upset stomachs, hemorrhages, tuberculosis, and eye trouble. It has also been said, but not proved, that ''Berberis koreana'' can be used as an antibacterial agent. Recent studies found that compounds synthesized from the trunk of ''B. koreana'' showed cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines and inhibited the growth of a skin

melanoma Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...

Intoxication

Several species of ''Berberis'' contain alkaloids such as

berberine Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids found in such plants as ''Berberis vulgaris'' (barberry), ''Berberis aristata'' (tree turmeric), ''Mahonia aquifolium'' (Oregon grape), ''Hydra ...

canadine (''S'')-Canadine, also known as (''S'')-tetrahydroberberine and xanthopuccine, is a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA), of the protoberberine structural subgroup, and is present in many plants from the family Papaveraceae, such as '' Corydalis yan ...

columbamine Columbamine is a Chemical substance, chemical with the Chemical formula, molecular formula . It is an Organic chemistry, organic heterotetracyclic compound and a berberine alkaloid. Columbamine can be also called dehydroisocorypalmine. It has a ...

, corypalmine,

jatrorrhizine Jatrorrhizine is a protoberberine alkaloid found in some plant species, such as '' Enantia chlorantha'' (Annonaceae). Synonyms that may be encountered include jateorrhizine, neprotin, jatrochizine, jatrorhizine, and yatrorizine. Bioactive effect ...

, and

palmatine Palmatine is a protoberberine alkaloid found in several plants including ''Phellodendron amurense'', ''Coptis Chinensis'' (Rhizoma coptidis, chinese goldthread) and '' Corydalis yanhusuo'', ''Tinospora cordifolia'' (gurjo, heart-leaved moonseed), ...

. These alkaloids are all very similar in chemical structure, but they vary in the effects they have on humans. Protoberberine relaxes

smooth muscle Smooth muscle is an involuntary non-striated muscle, so-called because it has no sarcomeres and therefore no striations (''bands'' or ''stripes''). It is divided into two subgroups, single-unit and multiunit smooth muscle. Within single-unit mus ...

and causes a decrease in overall

blood pressure Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...

. Berberine, at high dosages, has been known to cause seizures and inhibit enzymes. ''Berberis'' can have adverse side effects such as severe digestive tract irritation that includes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The side effects are not life-threatening and can be treated.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q908926 koreana Endemic flora of Korea Plants described in 1899