Berberis thunbergii Bonanza Gold - Barberry

Berberis thunbergii 'Bonanza Gold' is a particularly bright and compact form of barberry. It forms a dense dome of vegetation, with foliage that retains beautiful yellow tones from spring to summer, before a fiery display in autumn. Among this beautiful foliage, pale yellow flowers with red markings bloom in spring, followed by bright red berries that are decorative in late season and winter. Its small size and beautiful colour make this bush a very architectural specimen, interesting for creating contrasting plant compositions, both in the ground and in pots.

Berberis thunbergii Bonanza Gold, also known as Japanese barberry, is a bush in the Berberidaceae family whose ancestor is native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading, and low habit, with spiny branches. It is a cold and drought-resistant, adaptable plant that can thrive in various growing conditions. The foliage is deciduous in cold regions, but can remain during mild winters.

This 'Bonanza Gold' form is less spiny. It has a bushy habit, wider than tall, and the bush will reach about 80cm (31.5in) in height with a spread of 1m (3.28 ft) at maturity. The branches of this variety are well-branched and slightly arched at their tips. The foliage is the main asset of this barberry. It consists of small leaves measuring 2-3 cm (0.8 - 1.2 in) long, obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). At bud break, they are orange then as they mature, they turn bright yellow and eventually golden yellow. In April-May, numerous clusters of 1-6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. The bell-shaped flowers are 1cm (0.4in) long and pale yellow with red stripes. They are very nectar-rich and are followed in September-October by small, bright red spherical fruits measuring 6-8mm (0.2 - 0.3 in) long, which persist on the branches for part of the winter. The foliage takes on a beautiful orange hue before falling in October-November.

Barberry Bonanza Gold is a very accommodating bush, tolerating pruning very well, but preferring semi-shaded exposures, especially in very sunny regions. Its small size and golden foliage allow for playing with shapes and colours in plant compositions. It will be perfect in front of larger shrubs with purple or dark green foliage. For example, associate it with boxwood, Midnight Physocarpus, Black Lace elderberry, or with red blooms (Japanese quince, roses, Weigelas) or even yellow to orange blooms (Japanese kerria, Lena Orange broom, Dropmore Scarlett honeysuckle). This bush can also be planted in large rockeries, to cover slopes or outline the edge of a pathway. It also thrives well in a large container, to adorn a terrace or balcony.