The bitter blues of Berberis
![Berberis darwinii; Barberry. Photo credit Radicleii](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/63ad7e_f4d4473c84f74b06a0efdde1df500fb9.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_553,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/63ad7e_f4d4473c84f74b06a0efdde1df500fb9.jpg)
When I was taking this photo in the summer of 2015, a dog walker passed by me and cried out, “don’t eat the Berberis!” At the time I thought he imagined I was foraging a poisonous berry but what he actually meant was not to eat the berries raw; although they make delicious jams, Berberis or barberry berries are very bitter when eaten straight from the plant and can cause indigestion and an upset tummy. This bitterness gives a clue as to the plant's magical uses but some botanical facts first before the magic.
Berberis darwinii or Darwin’s Barberry is a hardy, dense evergreen shrub native to Chile and Patagonia that was brought to Europe by Charles Darwin himself. It thrives in well drained but moist soil, full sun or partial shade and is at home in gardens, woodlands and hilltops alike. I love Berberis because it provides year-long interest, with drooping racemes of rich orange flowers in spring and early summer, fabulous blue-black matt berries in summer and small dark-green glossy oblong leaves with sparse spines all year long. As mentioned before, Berberis berries can be used to make yummy jams, a recipe link is below.
To the magic :) As mentioned earlier, Berberis' bitterness extends to its magical attributes in that it is believed the plant's power lies in causing chaos, particularly with hexing. Herbalriot, a wonderful source of all things magical, says it brings bitterness, sourness and bad vibes to a place when sprinkled around the premises with the intention of hexing. It is believed Berberis does work for good grudgingly but it really delights in being bad. Yikes. On the flip side, Herbalriot says it can be used with vetivert and bay leaves to protect against bitterness but combining the herbs is a risky business.
As bitter as it is, the plant has some good points; it is a potent protective herb when sprinkled aroud the perimeter of a user's home or made into sachets and hung over the front door, attracting luck and prosperity and blocking evil from entering. The 'BAR' part of its name 'barberry' is said to originate in its ability to block paths so it's a great herb to use if you are regulary visited by unwanted guests. It also brings good luck and prosperity to the home and its inhabitants when the berries are incorporated into homemade candles and burned.
All in all, use Berberis darwinii with care! What you put out comes back to you threefold, so think twice before wishing someone ill.
Sources and further information:
http://herbalriot.tumblr.com/post/64307228220/magickal-uses-of-barberry
http://earthnotes.tripod.com/barberry.htm