Berberis thunbergii Toscana - Barberry

Berberis thunbergii 'Toscana' is a special compact variety of Japanese Barberry that delights with its intense and varied foliage colouration! From spring large, oval and shiny deciduous leaves, unfurl in scarlet red with a bright yellow edge. Then, they turn completely red before changing to purple in autumn. It forms a dwarf bush with dense, upright branches that slightly droop at their tips, making this cultivar ideal for enhancing a small hedge or in a container with other less extravagant species. It is a hardy, low-maintenance plant that tolerates pruning well and withstands summer drought. Simply provide it with a sunny location in well-drained soil for more intense colouration.

Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese Barberry, is a shrub of the Berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading, and low habit, and deciduous foliage which is nearly evergreen in mild climates.

The 'Toscana' cultivar will quickly reach a height of 1.20m (4 ft) with a spread of 90cm (35.4in). The purplish branches, half-arching and half-upright in this variety, bear thorns that are difficult to remove. The foliage is the main asset of this barberry. It consists of larger leaves than those of other varieties, obovate (oval, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part) and shiny. At bud burst, they are a finely yellow-edged scarlet-red, then as they mature, they turn to intense red. In April-May, numerous clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. The bell-shaped flowers are 1cm (0.4in) long and golden orange streaked with red. They are nectar-rich and followed in September-October by small bright red spherical fruits, 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3in) long, which persist on the branches for part of the winter. The foliage takes on a beautiful purple hue before falling.

The Japanese Barberry is a very accommodating shrub in terms of soil which tolerates pruning very well and prefers sunny exposures. It is a shame to confine it to the role of a monochrome and anonymous defensive hedge where its naturally graceful habit is completely obscured. Its beautiful foliage, remarkable in some cultivars like 'Toscana', deserves a prime location in front of larger shrubs with pink flowers (Kolkwitzia, Abelia, Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum), red flowers (Japanese Quince, roses, Weigelas), or even yellow to orange flowers (Japanese Rose, Genista Lena Orange, Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlett). It can also be paired with the grey foliage of shrubby Wormwoods or Convolvulus cneorum. This shrub can also be planted in large rockeries to cover slopes or highlight the edge of a path. It will thrive in a large container, to adorn a terrace or balcony, where it can be planted in the middle surrounded by trailing plants and less showy shrubs.