Berberis stenophylla Corallina Compacta - Barberry

Berberis or barberry are striking thorny bushes, with a bushy upright or strongly spreading habit, reminiscent in some respects of Mahonia. <strong>These dense bushes, comprising some 400 species, display very varied appearances but always with small to medium leaves, often with thorny margins</strong>. But <strong>it is the fine thorns positioned at the axil of each leaf that form formidable tridents</strong>, much sought after notably for creating <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/hedge-shrubs/deterrent-hedges.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>defensive hedges</strong></a>. Barberries can be classified into two groups : <ul> <li>Deciduous species whose leaves are often ovate with smooth margins, in shades of purple, pink, tricolour, etc., such as Berberis x ottawensis and Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'. Their autumn foliage often turns magnificent scarlet colours while lemon-yellow flowering in May–June remains rather inconspicuous.</li> <li>Evergreen species display different leaf forms: linear as in Berberis linearifolia, spatulate as in buxifolia or with small holly-like leaves as in darwinii or verruculosa. Flowering in dense, orange-yellow, scented clusters is often remarkable and early, as with darwinii, which flowers in March–April.</li> </ul> [caption id="attachment_52032" align="alignnone" width="1172"]<a href="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Berberis-feuillages.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-52032" src="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/blogwp/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Berberis-feuillages.jpg" alt="Barberry, Berberis" width="1172" height="233" /></a> Some barberries with decorative foliage : <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/shrubs-by-variety/berberis-barberries/berberis-thunbergii-admiration-barberry.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berberis thunbergii 'Admiration'</a>, <a href="https://www.promessedefleurs.com/arbustes/arbustes-par-variete/berberis/berberis-buxifolia-nana-epine-vinette-a-feuilles-de-buis-p-6104.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berberis buxifolia 'Nana'</a>, <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/shrubs-by-variety/berberis-barberries/berberis-thunbergii-atropurpurea-nana-barberry.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana'</a>, <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/shrubs-by-variety/berberis-barberries/berberis-thunbergii-rosy-glow-barberry.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berberis thunbergii 'Rosy Glow'</a>, <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/shrubs-by-variety/berberis-barberries/berberis-thunbergii-thunderbolt.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berberis thunbergii 'Thunderbolt'</a>[/caption] <strong>All these bushes are very easy to grow in any type of soil, preferably in full sun.</strong> <strong>They integrate</strong> perfectly <strong>into low, medium to high hedges, informal or clipped.</strong> Compact rounded varieties such as thunbergii 'Bagatelle' or darwinii 'Nana', erect dense types like 'Golden Torch' or groundcover forms such as thunbergii 'Green Carpet' make <strong>excellent rockery subjects</strong> that can also be showcased <strong>as solitary specimens</strong> or on a <strong>terrace or balcony</strong>. Thorns vary in length and sharpness by cultivar, so it is wise to check how hazardous they are to the touch before planting Berberis where people pass. Avoid placing at children's eye level in particular. Among the least thorny varieties are Berberis x frikartii, buxifolia 'Nana', x hybrido-gagnepainii, thunbergii 'Coronita' (completely spineless), 'Green Carpet'.