Long protruding thorns guard leaves that come green or purple, and the bloom ranges from pink to white through yellow and orange. Barberry is best known for defensive hedges, in which birds nest safe from most predators; give it a sun-bathed or shaded spot and its awe-inspiring hardiness asks for nothing more.
| Name | Berberis |
|---|---|
| Family | Berberidaceae |
| Type | Shrub |
| Height | 3 to 10 feet (1 to 3 m) |
| Exposure | Full sun, part sun |
| Soil | Ordinary |
| Foliage | Deciduous/evergreen |
| Flowering | Spring/summer |
There are several different barberry species, some of which are deciduous, others evergreen, but they’re all planted in the same manner.
It is best to plant barberry in fall to speed root development up.
Planting is possible in spring, taking great care to water regularly in the following summer.
Barberry is propagated through cuttings at the end of summer.
This shrub’s hardiness inspires awe, and you won’t need to add fertilizer or other amendments in normal settings.
Before diving into your barberry bush to prune it, wear your best and thickest gloves, because all those thorns are out to get you!
For hedges, go for one pruning each in fall and spring to shape it into the silhouette you desire.
As a standalone, it can be pruned back in fall more or less by ¼ its height in order to boost blooming in spring.
It is preferable to use gloves so that you don’t get hurt.
Barberry needs water over the 1st year after planting to take root well, especially if it was planted in spring.
Mulch on the ground helps retain moisture and will hinder weed growth. Don’t neglect this because weeding under all those thorns is not a pleasure!
If you feel that your barberry isn’t growing very fast (extremely poor soil), provide it with fertilizer in spring. Make your fertilizer from weeds!
For evergreen leafage and an early yellow bloom, you can use Berberis darwinii. Take note that it doesn’t resist freezing very well.
If you’re looking for a dwarf barberry variety to set atop a mound, a low hedge or along edges, try out Berberis thunbergii which stays evergreen in winter.
For a 6 ½ foot (2 meters) hedge, plant the Berberis umbellata which is an excellent opaque hedge.
Lastly, if you’re attracted to ornamental foliage, bring home the Berberis ottawensis ‘Golden Ring’ and its purple leaves gilded with yellow, or the Berberis vulgaris, still also purple but very dark.
The species mentioned above answer very different needs, from a knee-high edging to a two-metre screen. Use this summary to match a barberry to the place you have in mind.
| Species | Foliage | Best use | Point to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berberis darwinii | Evergreen | Shrub bed with early yellow bloom | Doesn’t resist freezing very well |
| Berberis thunbergii | Stays evergreen in winter | Mound, low hedge or edging | The most common variety, often used for hedges |
| Berberis umbellata | Dense enough to screen | Opaque hedge 6 ½ feet (2 m) tall | Chosen for screening rather than for its leaves |
| Berberis ottawensis ‘Golden Ring’ | Purple leaves gilded with yellow | Ornamental foliage | Two-tone leaf for colour contrast |
| Berberis vulgaris | Purple, but very dark | Ornamental foliage | The darkest of the purple-leaved options |
Whichever you choose, planting and care are the same for all of them.
Beyond the species, a handful of named cultivars are stocked by most garden centres and mainstream catalogues. The table below compares them on the points that decide where they go in the garden.
| Variety | Foliage colour | Foliage type | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Golden Ring’ | Purple with yellow rim | Deciduous | Informal hedge |
| ‘Rose Glow’ | Purple marbled pink | Deciduous | Mixed border feature |
| ‘Orange Rocket’ | Coral-orange to red | Deciduous | Narrow upright, tight spaces |
| ‘Aurea’ | Golden yellow | Deciduous | Bright accent in light shade |
| ‘Atropurpurea Nana’ | Deep purple-red | Deciduous | Low hedge and edging |
| ‘Admiration’ | Red with gold margin | Deciduous | Pots and edging |
| ‘Harlequin’ | Purple speckled pink | Deciduous | Colour contrast in beds |
Barberry has been know to be contaminated by Septoria leaf spot fungus. It’s one of the plants that Septoria infects.
If you’re growing barberry indoors, in a container, it will certainly encounter the usual household pests:
Barberry is a shrub that comes both in deciduous or evergreen varieties, but all these variations come with long protruding thorns.
Native to Japan, this thorn bush encompasses several hundred species and this provides for a variety of shapes and colors.
The most common variety is the Thunberg barberry, or Berberis thunbergii, frequently used to set up hedges.
It can be found with either green or purple leafage and the blooming ranges from pink to white through yellow and orange.
Most of the barberry species can be grown as bonsai plants.
Good to know: the barberry fruits are edible! These berries can be eaten cooked or raw, and they’re full of nutrients. Note: there are small precautions to take first.
