Barberry

Barberry (Berberis) - A brilliant family of shrubs so numerous that perhaps no one garden can show a half of their beauty. From many parts of the world the variety is almost amazing of summer leafing Barberries, each group containing plants of the highest value, hardy in our islands, too, as some native plants, and not only for the garden or rock garden, but also for copses and woodland, in which some evergreen kinds may be used with fine effect. The fruits also are among the most brilliant in color and graceful in form we have, as is shown in our one native kind, the foliage of which is often fine in color and form too. The summer leafing kinds take on a splendid color in autumn.

Barberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry) Zones 6-8 is a thorny shrub with yellow flowers. Some barberries are evergreen while some are deciduous.It tolerate a wide range of conditions which allows it to live in diverse habitats as close canopy forest, open woodlands, wetlands, feilds and road sides. America, Asia and Europe are its native continents. It can grow about 9 feet in height and can spread 8 feets.It is one of the first shrub to leaf out in spring. The plant is hermaphrodite having both male and female sexes and is pollinated by insects. It has narrow, oval leaves which are half to two inches long and its color ranges from green to bluish green to dark reddish purple. The yellow flower in spring are not very showy, as these are small and born under the foliage. These are in a cluster of two to four, occuring along the entire stem of the plant. Flowering occurs from mid April to May. Berries are bright red in color, these are half inches long and persist in winter making an excellent winter effect.

Barberries prefer sun or partial shade. These are tolerant to most of the soil types and can withstand dry conditions. These need lightening to turn to its differnt colors. Temperate zone provides the best growing temperature. Moderate amount of water is required for its proper growth. Barberries need little fertilizer while planted in pots and no such thing is required when it is grown on ground. To give it a good shape prunning is required. This is best done immediately afer flowering or in later winter. Revitalisation should be done for overgrown shrubs.

• Pruning should be kept to a minimum.
• Evergreen species should be placed in partial sun.
• If grown in pots these need a bit of frost protection.
• Barberries are sensitive to salt so solid fertilizers can kill the plant.
• Wiring should be checked often, as the barberies grow quickly.
• For trunked bonsai suckers should be removed before the vigor of sap trunk.
• Both male and female plants should be kept together to produce ornamental berries.
• It will fruit more if grown in poor soil.

• Barberries are used in landscape as these tolerate extreme soil and require minimum maintenance.
• These are often used to hold and furnish slopes and banks.
• Berries are frequently used in making candles due to there fragrance.
• It is a fine ornamental for its foliage as well as fruit.
• It has a high concentration of berberine, a harmonal substance which has disease and infection fighting properties.
• It is used by naturopaths to treat dysentry.
• Ripe fruits are used to prepare tasty jellies.

Berberis canadensis

Berberis

Berberis thunbergii

Barberis thunbergii1

Berberis vulgaris

Berberis wisleyensis

Berberis Aquifolium - A sturdy evergreen of N.W. America and parts of the Rocky Mountains, quite hardy in our islands, and useful both for the pleasure garden and as a cover plant in woods. It is easy of increase in most soils, but does best in peaty or leafy soils. There are several forms, and all valuable.

Darwins Berberis (Berberis Darwini) - A plant of Chili of great beauty, vigorous, tall, and charming in flower, and in my own garden often brilliant in fruit. No more beautiful hardy shrub. It may not be hardy in all districts, but is so beautiful that it deserves a place in all where it thrives. Seed.

Berberis Dictyophylla - Under cultivation it is a spreading bush, 4 feet to 5 feet high, with glaucous stems. The yellow flowers appear singly, or in pairs, from the leafaxils in May, and they are succeeded in autumn by bright red fruits. China.

Berberis Dulcis - Generally a dwarf bush, quite hardy and free. There is a tall as well as a dwarf form. Both are easily grown, but are not quite as attractive as some of the newer kinds.

Berberis Empetrifolia - A dwarf and graceful shrub, very hardy and excellent for rock gardens or banks, and interesting as one of the parents of the handsome stenophylla.

Berberis Fortunei - A distinct evergreen species, but though said to do well in southern districts, I have found it rather tender and a poor kind.

Berberis Gagnepainii - Forms a dense bush 4 feet to 6 feet high, with narrowly lanceolate, prickly leaves, each 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches long, and about 1/2 inch broad. The bright yellow flowers borne in dense racemose clusters are followed by black fruits. When seen in good condition this is one of the handsomest of the Berberis. China.

Berberis Japonica - A noble evergreen with very fine foliage in England. It thrives best in peaty or leaf soil and partial shade, in which conditions it is often very handsome for effect.

Berberis Nepalensis - epal Barberry) is distinct from the last, and, being much rarer, one cannot be sure of its hardiness for northern districts. It is a very fine plant in foliage, but seems a bit tender in the south; if tried in woods, might have a better chance. It is a noble evergreen, best tried in half-shaded spots.

Berberis Pinnata - A very handsome upright evergreen bush, profuse in flower, and growing well in most soils. A great plant for garden or covert. I am not quite sure if this ought to be accepted as a distinct species or as a variety of the Rocky Mountain one, but in my own garden it has proved a very handsome and vigorous evergreen, full of flower in the spring. It is a good plant for the copse and the wild garden anywhere. N.W. America.

Berberis Polyantha - This grows from 5 to 10 feet high, erect and much branched; the flowers rich, clear yellow, freely produced in pendulous lax panicles each 6 inches to 9 inches long. The fruits oblong, dull salmon-red, with a pale glaucous bloom. Native of Szechuan, W. China.

Sargents Barberry (Berberis Sargentiana) - A hardy evergreen kind with yellow flowers and black fruit, as yet not much known, but well deserves a trial.

Berberis Stapfiana - This is somewhat suggestive of the charming Berberis Wilsonae, but is quite distinct therefrom. The specimen shown was a dense bush, some 4 feet high and more through, the shoots, from which the greater number of leaves had fallen, being freely furnished with roundish berries of a bright red translucence.

Berberis Stenophylla - A garden hybrid between B. Darwini and B. empetrifolia. The long slender branches droop gracefully on all sides, the bush being profusely laden with yellow blossoms. It is much hardier than B. Darwini, and seldom suffers from severe frosts, and grows freely in ordinary soils.

Berberis Thunbergi - A Japanese Berberis well worth planting for the sake of its coral-red berries and the brilliant tints of the leaves previous to falling in autumn. The leaves are small, and turn to a bright orange-scarlet towards the end of September. It is an easy flowerer, and the blossoms are usually at their best about mid-May. The fruits are smaller than those of the common Barberry, and a little deeper in color. It thrives in any ordinary garden soil. China.

Berberis Verruculosa - a dwarf-growing plant 1 foot to 2 feet high; semi-prostrate in habit, with ornate prickly leaves, shining above and glaucous below, the golden yellow flowers being followed by violet-black fruits.

Berberis Virescens - A handsome upright shrub with showy leaves that take on fine color in autumn. The young bark is also a good color, which makes it an excellent plant for grouping. It grows very well in any soil. Is a native of the mountains of India.

Berberis Vulgaris - ommon Barberry) is, when in fruit, very attractive, the long, drooping racemes of bright scarlet berries being produced very abundantly. There are several named varieties of it. A selection should include the white and violet-berried kinds, sanguinolenta, and the purple-leaved kind, a very ornamental shrub, the foliage of which is of a purple hue. It is a very effective shrub when grouped. It is the only native kind of England, and is found wild over a large part of Europe, N. Africa, and C. Asia also. It is an interesting shrub in any position, but its full beauty is never seen unless it is grouped in the full sun.

Berberis Wallichiana - Has glossy evergreen foliage, with which the clear yellow flowers contrast finely. It is hardy, though liable to be injured by very severe frost. It thrives in ordinary soil and in any position.

Wilsons Berberis (Berberis Wilsonae) - This came to us from China in recent years, and is one of the most brilliant shrubs we have ever had for the rock or choice shrub garden, flowering and fruiting early, and very graceful in form.

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