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. thunbergii is a spiny medium-sized deciduous shrub of compact habit. Leaves obovate, 2-3cm, turning red and orange in autumn. Flowers solitary, yellow, flushed red on sepals. Glossy bright scarlet berries