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Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry

Berberis thunbergii Dart's Red Lady
Japanese Barberry

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Graden Merit
Beautiful variety of barberry awarded with the Award of Garden Merit! This dwarf bush bears charming small red-purple ovate leaves, offering a spectacular contrast with its clusters of pale yellow, slightly fragrant and nectar-rich flowers in spring. Its foliage then turns into a flamboyant orange-red, illuminating the garden until the onset of winter. Small bright red fruits that birds love complete this colourful scene. Compact, robust and undemanding, it will be perfect in borders, hedges or pots. 
Flower size
1 cm
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -29°C
Soil moisture
all types
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November
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Flowering time May to June
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Description

Berberis thunbergii 'Dart's Red Lady' is a stunning, award-winning variety of barberry with the Award of Garden Merit! This dwarf bush bears charming small ovate red-purple leaves that offer a spectacular contrast with its pale yellow, slightly fragrant and nectar-rich flower clusters in spring. Its foliage then turns a flamboyant orange-red, illuminating the garden until the start of winter. Small bright red fruits beloved by birds complete this colourful scene. Compact, it will be perfect in borders, hedges, or in pots. It is a perfectly hardy and undemanding bush that can be planted in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soils that are not too dry.

 

Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese barberry, is a bush of the berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading, and low habit, and deciduous foliage, almost evergreen in mild climates. The colour of its foliage intensifies under full sun. Hardy and resistant to temporary drought, it is a very easy bush to grow in well-drained soils.

The cultivar 'Dart's Red Lady' is a compact bush with medium growth, reaching about 70cm (27.6in) in height and 1m (39.4in) in width. The branches, ranging from beige to light brown, are erect and dense in this variety and bear small thorns. Its colourful foliage is the main asset of this barberry, consisting of glossy leaves which measure 2 to 3cm (0.8 - 1.2in) long and are obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). At bud break, they show a cherry red colour and as they ripen they darken to become deep red-purple. In autumn, they turn bright orange-red before falling. In May-June, numerous clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. These bell-shaped flowers are 1cm (0.4in) long and pale yellow marked with red. They are fragrant, very nectar-rich, and followed in September-October by small bright red spherical fruits measuring 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3in), which persist on the branches for part of the winter.

 

Japanese barberry is a very accommodating bush in terms of soil, tolerating pruning very well but clearly preferring sunny exposures. It is a shame to confine it to the role of a monochrome and anonymous defensive hedge bush where its naturally graceful habit is completely masked. The intensely coloured foliage of 'Dart's Red Lady' deserves a prominent position in front of taller bushes with pink flowers (Kolkwitzia, Abelia, Abeliophyllum distichum 'Roseum'), red flowers (Japanese quinces, roses, Weigelas), or even yellow to orange flowers (Japanese kerria, Lena Orange broom, Dropmore Scarlett honeysuckle). To create striking contrasts, it can also be paired with the silver foliage of small artemisias like 'Little Mice' or the variegated cream foliage of perennials like 'variegated bishop's weed'.

Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry in pictures

Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry (Foliage) Foliage

Plant habit

Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour yellow
Flowering time May to June
Inflorescence Cluster
Flower size 1 cm
Fragrance slightly scented
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Fruit colour red

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour red

Botanical data

Genus

Berberis

Species

thunbergii

Cultivar

Dart's Red Lady

Family

Berberidaceae

Other common names

Japanese Barberry

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference1003001

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Planting and care

Berberis thunbergii 'Dart's Red Lady' thrives in full sun or partial shade, with autumn colours being more intense in the sun. It is a plant that tolerates drought and harsh winters. Plant it in any type of soil as long as it is well-drained. The planting hole should be twice the size of the root ball. Space the Berberis about 80cm (31.5in) apart, add compost and water well. It is a bush that tolerates pruning very well. From June to August, after flowering, prune the faded branches to the level of the young lateral shoots to encourage the growth of new branches. Be careful not to touch the branches with bare hands as they have thorns that are difficult to remove once they enter the skin. The Berberis thunbergii can be susceptible to powdery mildew and black leaf spots. Aphids can also invade it.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to April, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Edge of border, Container, Hedge, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Any
Soil type Clayey (heavy), Clayey-chalky (heavy and alkaline), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture all types, Ordinary, well-drained soil.

Care

Pruning instructions Prune with shears at the end of summer to maintain a compact habit.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time August to September
Soil moisture all types
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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