Berberis thunbergii Golden Rocket - Barberry

The Berberis thunbergii 'Golden Rocket' is a variety of barberry that stands out for its upright and compact habit, in dense columnar form, and for the bright yellow color of its foliage, which remains very vibrant until late summer without burning in the sun. Its discreet yellow spring flowering will be followed by the formation of berries that turn bright red in autumn, remaining on its orangish foliage. This deciduous shrub, very hardy and accommodating, will make a great impact in a small low hedge or in a shrub border, especially among red foliage.

The Berberis thunbergii, also known as Thunberg's Barberry or Japanese Barberry, is a shrub of the berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading, and low growing habit, and deciduous foliage in winter or almost evergreen in mild climates. It is a robust and undemanding plant, water-saving, and tolerates limestone soils.

The Czech cultivar 'Golden Rocket', on the contrary, has a narrow, very dense, slightly stiff habit, supported by vertical branches. It reaches about 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) in height with a spread of 70 cm (27.6 in) at maturity. The young branches are reddish-orange, with slightly aggressive thorns. The foliage is the main asset of this barberry. It consists of shiny leaves, measuring 3 cm (1.2 in) long, oval to rounded. The colour is a bright yellow, with a slightly greener shade in summer. In April-May, numerous clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. The bell-shaped flowers, 1 cm (0.4 in) long, are a soft yellow slightly striated with red. They are very nectar-rich and followed in September-October by small bright red spherical fruits, 6 to 8 mm (0.3 in) long, which persist on the branches for part of the winter. The foliage turns a beautiful orange colour before falling.

The 'Golden Rocket' Barberry is a very accommodating shrub in terms of soil, tolerating pruning very well, but preferring sunny exposures that are not scorching. Its beautiful foliage blends perfectly with all shades of purple, red, orange, and even blue. For example, you can associate it with Physocarpus Little Devil, Kerria japonica, Genet Lena Orange, Dropmore Scarlett Honeysuckle, Ceanothus thyrsifolius repens. It can also be paired with the gray foliage of Artemisia shrubs. Beautiful composition with pieris (in neutral to acidic soil) and herbaceous peonies. It also well tolerates cultivation in a large container, to decorate the terrace or balcony.