Berberis coxii Schneid.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Berberis coxii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/berberis/berberis-coxii/). Accessed 2025-01-19.

Genus

Berberis

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

glaucous: Grey-blue often from superficial layer of wax (bloom).
ovate: Egg-shaped; broadest towards the stem.

References

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Berberis coxii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/berberis/berberis-coxii/). Accessed 2025-01-19.

Berberis coxii from Farrer 1399 at Exbury, Hampshire, UK. 16 May 2011. Image John Anderson.

A vigorous evergreen shrub to 7 ft high and eventually more across, with stout yellow-grey stems armed with flattened spines. Leaves elliptic to elliptic-ovate, about 2 in. long, leathery, glossy green above and glaucous grey beneath, with a few rather distant teeth. Flowers borne on stalks 1⁄2 in. long, in clusters of three to six. Berries glaucous blue, about 1⁄2 in. long.

Native of Upper Burma, introduced by Farrer from Hpimaw in 1919 and originally considered to be a form of B. hookeri, to which it is indeed closely related. It was recognised as a distinct species by Schneider and named by him after E. H. M. Cox, Farrer’s companion in Burma and the founder and editor of the incomparable New Flora and Sylva, which ceased publication in 1940 but is still much read and consulted by plant-lovers. B. coxii is a fine evergreen, bushy and of good habit. Mr Cox tells us that the original plants at Glendoick, planted forty years ago, are now about 6 ft high and 14 ft across.

Berberis coxii from Farrer 1399 at Exbury, Hampshire, UK. 16 May 2011. Image John Anderson.

Foliage of Berberis coxii Farrer 1030 growing at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK (8 April 2019). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Elliptic to ovate-elliptic leathery leaves, and 3-fid spines of Berberis coxii (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK – 8 April 2019). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Shiny dark green lamina upper surface, impressed venation and distant teeth on Berberis coxii (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK – 8 April 2019). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Pruinose lamina lower surface with obscured venation and slightly revolute margin on Berberis coxii (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK – 8 April 2019). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Finely verruculose brownish yellow branchlet, on Berberis coxii (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK – 8 April 2019). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Berberis coxii with developing fruit at Sherwood Garden, Devon, UK. 12 October 2011. Image John Anderson.

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