ShrubsBerberis thunbergii
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Barberry is a compact, thorny shrub that captivates year-round with purple-red foliage, yellow spring flowers and red autumn berries. The plant excels as an informal hedge or a solitary accent. Thorns make the shrub a natural barrier.
Characteristics
- Sun
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Water
- Low
- Height
- 100–200 cm
- Spread
- 100–200 cm
- Hardiness zone
- 4–8
- Family
- Berberidaceae
- Evergreen
- No
- Flower colors
- yellow
- Wildlife value
- bees, birds
Bloom period
Care guide
Plant in sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. The plant is remarkably adaptable and tolerates drought, wind and poor soil. More sun intensifies the leaf colour. Barely any maintenance needed once established.
Pruning tips
Prune in late spring or after flowering to maintain the desired shape. The shrub tolerates hard pruning excellently. Wear gloves due to the sharp thorns. Remove dead wood and overly long shoots.
Good companions
ShrubsBuxus sempervirens
Boxwood
Boxwood is an evergreen shrub with small, glossy dark green leaves that is ideal for topiary and hedging. The plant grows slowly and can live for hundreds of years. Small green-yellow flowers appear in April and May, attracting early bees.
ShrubsSpiraea japonica
Japanese Spirea
Japanese spirea is a compact, free-flowering shrub with flat clusters of pink flowers from June to August. The shrub has a neat, rounded form and works perfectly in small gardens, low hedges, or as border edging. Some cultivars feature decorative yellow-green or bronze-tinted foliage.
ShrubsCotoneaster horizontalis
Wall Cotoneaster
Wall Cotoneaster is a versatile shrub with a distinctive herringbone branch pattern. Tiny pink flowers appear in June attracting bees, followed by masses of bright red berries in autumn. The small leaves turn a beautiful red before falling.