The Science of Spice

160 Spice Profiles

Region of cultivation

Barberry is native to central and southern

Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia.

It is now cultivated mainly in Iran (which

produces more than 10,000 tonnes of barberry

fruits every year), but also in northern Europe

and North America.

The plant

This dense and prickly

deciduous shrub grows in

scrubland and belongs to

the berberis family.

Dried berries

Only choose berries that are bright red in

colour, indicating they have been dried

carefully and are not overly old. Store them

in a sealed container in the freezer for up

to 6 months, and defrost as needed.

Orange-

yellow flowers

are produced

from late

spring to early

summer

Grows up to

2–3 m (6½–

10ft) tall

Use berries whole

or chopped, as they

are or soaked first

BOTANICAL NAME

Berberis vulgaris

ALSO KNOWN AS

Piperidge, jaundice berry, zereshk.

MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND

Hexanal.

PARTS USED

Dried berries.

METHOD OF CULTIVATION

Fruits are harvested manually, most

commonly by hitting the branches with

a stick until the berries fall off.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

Berries are dried in the sun, in the shade,

or in industrial driers; research shows that

driers yield the best-quality spice.

NON-CULINARY USES

In Iranian traditional medicine to treat

jaundice, inflammation, and toothache.

IRAN

BARBERRY

Sour | Sharp | Tangy

The earliest record of the use of

barberry fruits dates back to 650 bce,

when a description of their blood-

purifying properties was inscribed

on clay tablets in the library of the

Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. The

plant’s use in Chinese medicine dates

back over 3,000 years, and evidence of

its medicinal use in Europe has nearly

as long a history; for example, the bark

from the root and the stem was used as

a purgative and tonic. Throughout the

Middle Ages, barberry was widely used

in preserves, syrups, and wines

in western Europe. Later, the herbalist

John Gerard (1545–1612) suggested

that the berry could be used to season

meat – a flavouring idea that has stood

the test of time! Barberry was first

cultivated in Iran over 200 years ago,

and the berries have since become

an important part of cooking in the

Middle East and the Caucasus.

Spice story

Oblong red

berries grow in

dense clusters on

spiked branches and

ripen in autumn

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