Bunches of yellow and red flowers in mid-spring and late spring give way to scarlet berries that cling on all winter, feeding the birds, above green or purple leaves. Thunberg barberry (Berberis thunbergii) makes an excellent defensive hedge: give it full or part sun and ordinary, well-drained soil and it asks for no fertiliser at all.
| Name | Berberis thunbergii |
|---|---|
| Family | Berberidaceae |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 3 to 10 feet (1 to 3 m) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary, well drained |
| Foliage | deciduous or persistent depending on the variety |
| Flowering | mid-spring to late spring |
It is preferable to plant Berberis thunbergii in fall to favor root development before winter hits, and thus ensure proper growth in spring.
It is possible to plant in spring specimens purchased in containers. In that case, water more diligently when the first heat waves hit, and/or if days on end go by without rain.
You can also grow many cultivars as indoor Berberis plants, in containers.
For Berberis thunbergii hedges, go for one pruning each in fall and spring to shape it into the silhouette you desire.
As a standalone, Berberis thunbergii can be pruned back in fall more or less by ¼ its height in order to boost blooming in spring.
Thunberg barberry asks very little, but the timing of planting and pruning changes the result. Here is the whole year’s work in one table.
| Job | When | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| Planting (preferred) | Fall | Roots settle in before winter, so growth picks up in spring |
| Planting container-grown plants | Spring | Possible, but water far more diligently in dry or hot spells |
| Pruning a hedge | Fall and spring | One pruning in each season, to hold the silhouette you want |
| Pruning a standalone shrub | Fall | Cut back by roughly a quarter of its height to boost flowering |
Beyond this, the shrub’s hardiness means no fertiliser or amendments are needed.
The species has been bred into dozens of garden forms, differing mainly in leaf colour, final size and shape. The table below compares the ones most often stocked by garden centres, so you can match the shrub to the job you have in mind.
| Variety | Foliage colour | Habit | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Golden Ring’ | Purple with yellow margin | Rounded, spreading | Standalone shrub, tall hedge |
| ‘Concorde’ | Dark violet-purple | Very compact mound | Pots, front of border |
| ‘Rose Glow’ | Purple mottled pink and white | Arching, bushy | Mixed border, specimen |
| ‘Orange Rocket’ | Coral-orange young growth | Upright, narrow | Containers, tight spaces |
| ‘Atropurpurea Nana’ (Crimson Pygmy) | Deep red-purple | Low dense dome | Edging, low hedge |
| ‘Dart’s Red Lady’ | Blackish purple, scarlet in autumn | Spreading, dense | Informal defensive hedge |
| ‘Aurea’ | Bright golden yellow | Rounded, compact | Lighting up a shady corner |
| ‘Helmond Pillar’ | Purple | Narrow upright column | Accent, framing a path |
Berberis thunbergii, native to Japan, is considered a thorn bush, but they are much less prominent than other species in the same family, since its thorns aren’t as sharp.
It has been grown in Europe since the 19th century.
It now encompasses several hundred species and this provides for a variety of shapes and colors. Some grow taller than a person, but dwarf berberis cultivars stay small enough to grow wonderful low hedges.
It can be found with either green or purple leafage and the blooming ranges from pink to white through yellow and orange.
It produces nice bunches of yellow and red colored flowers that transform into red berries that make birds sing with joy since they stay all winter long.
This shrub’s hardiness deserves respect and you won’t need to add any fertilizer or other maintenance amendments.
