Berberis thunbergii Orange Ice - Barberry

Berberis thunbergii Orange Ice is a recent variety of barberry that doesn't go unnoticed with its vividly coloured foliage in shades of orange and red. This flamboyant, almost fluorescent colour harmonizes with its small yellow flowers in spring, and then its red berries in late summer. With its compact and upright habit, this bush is perfectly suited for growing in pots, flowerbeds, and small gardens.

The Berberis Orange Ice is a Polish variety recently introduced in the horticultural trade. It is a hybrid resulting from the Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese barberry, a bush from the berberidaceae family native to Japan. This Orange Ice variety is characterized by modest development, a bushy, upright, and dense habit, slow growth, and remarkably coloured deciduous foliage.

The plant will slowly reach a height of 80-90cm with a spread of 30 to 50cm (11.8 - 19.7in). The upright and dense branches of this variety bear mildly aggressive thorns. The foliage is its main asset and is composed of obovate leaves (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). In spring and summer, their colour is coppery orange while in autumn, it becomes a mix of red, orange, and yellow tones. In April-May, numerous clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. These bell-shaped flowers are 1cm (0.4in) long and yellow with red stripes. They are highly nectar-rich and followed in September-October by small bright red spherical fruits measuring 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3in) long, which persist on the branches for part of the winter. The plant is devoid of leaves in winter.

This Berberis Orange Ice is a hardy bush which is very adaptable to the soil and tolerates pruning very well but definitely prefers sunny exposures. Its remarkable foliage deserves a prime location in front of taller bushes with red flowers (Japanese quinces, roses, Weigelas) or even yellow to orange (Japanese kerria, Lena Orange broom, Dropmore Scarlet honeysuckle). It can also be combined with the grey foliage of shrubby wormwoods or the anise green of lady's mantle... This bush can also be used to highlight the edge of a pathway. It also thrives when grown in a large pot to decorate a terrace or balcony.