Berberis can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with spiny shoots bearing simple, often spine-toothed leaves, and small yellow or orange flowers in axillary clusters or racemes, followed by small berries
B. julianae is a compact evergreen shrub to 3m, with rigid, glossy elliptic leaves and racemes of yellow flowers, tinged with red, in late spring. Bloomy black berries in autumn