Berberis thunbergii - Barberry

Berberis thunbergii is an excellent bush for hedges, both highly resistant and almost impenetrable. In autumn, it is adorned with a beautiful foliage. The foliage of this barberry, more or less deciduous or evergreen depending on the climate, hides tangled branches covered with small thorns. It evolves from spring green, speckled with pale yellow flowers, to orange before turning scarlet red in autumn. Its small bright red berries remain decorative for a long time and are a delight for birds in winter. It is one of those indestructible bushes that know how to combine usefulness with pleasure!

Berberis thunbergii, also known as Thunberg's Barberry or Japanese Barberry, is a bush from the Berberidaceae family, originally from Japan, as its name suggests. It is characterised by a bushy, spreading and low habit, and deciduous or almost evergreen foliage in mild climates.

It bears a bushy, rounded and very dense habit, even spreading and drooping, barely wider than tall, reaching an average of 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in all directions. The slightly arched branches bear mildly aggressive thorns. The flowering is quite abundant in April-May in the form of drooping clusters composed of 1 to 6 small flowers. The bell-shaped flowers measure 1 cm (0.4 in) long, and are a pale and somewhat dull yellow, streaked with faded red. They appear on the previous year's shoots, carried by reddish peduncles. They are nectar-rich flowers that are appreciated by pollinating insects. They are followed in September-October by small, very bright red spherical fruits. They measure from 6 mm to 8 mm (0.2 in to 0.3 to in) in length and persist throughout part of the winter. The foliage of this Berberis emerges green in spring, becomes more orange in summer and turns bright red in autumn. The small leaves measure from 1 cm to 3 cm (0.4 in to 1.2 in) in length, and are obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). When the plant is not sufficiently exposed to sunlight, the summer and autumn colours are less pronounced.

Berberis thunbergii is ideal for medium-sized hedges, whether they are free-growing or trimmed. Its thorns and density of its vegetation also allow it to be used in a defensive hedge, combined with European or Provence gorse (Ulex parviflorus), Japanese quinces, holly, rugosa roses, and firethorns. It can also be planted in shrub borders, with forsythias and dwarf abelias (Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', 'Petite Garden'), lilacs from the 'Bloomerang' series, and loropetalums.