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
'Aurea' is a bushy deciduous shrub, with rounded leaves opening bright yellow in spring and early summer, becoming yellowish-green later; small, red-tinged pale yellow flowers in spring are followed by shiny deep red berries