Dr Hessayon, author of The Garden Expert famously advised ‘You can depend on a shrub.’ Surely, he must have been thinking about glorious Barberries?
Any gardener worth their salt knows that shrubs are the essential scaffolding of the year-round garden offering invaluable foliage, flowers and structure — some varieties even have scented flowers, so if you throw fragrance into the mix, you’re onto a winner! Welcome to the fabulous world of Barberries where unparalleled foliage and practicality combine with zingy yellow flowers and generous clusters of vivid, autumn berries.
All about berberis hedging
The Barberry family (or Berberis,) is a big one: with over 450 different varieties giving gardeners a vast array of tall or smaller plants to choose from. Some are evergreen while others lose their leaves in winter, and being multi-purpose shrubs, they have an abundance of uses as their appeal is paralleled by their practicality.
Barberries are a popular, all-rounders — creating prickly security hedging enough to deter intruders and decked with bright flowers in spring with lashings of fiery berries in autumn. The thorny nature of Berberis makes ideal barriers against unwanted visitors, (both the human and the four-legged variety) which tend to shy away from the long, sharp spikes cunningly hidden amongst the eye-catching foliage. (Wear gloves when pruning!)
The same attractive dense foliage forms a predator-proof barrier making it an ideal haven for nesting birds and the nectar-rich flowers mean you can expect all kinds of beneficial garden visitors including bees, butterflies and moths that adore the spring flowers.
The luscious autumn berries provide a vital food source for a diverse crowd of native birds as well as foraging animals. Studying the habits of garden visitors always adds an intriguing dimension to your garden life and to cap it all, you’ll also be contributing to the conservation of our declining population of British wildlife.
Don’t let challenging planting sites deter you from your gardening goals; poor soil, full shade and exposed coastal environments are no threat to these sturdy shrubs. Happily, Berberis can be planted in almost any soil (though steer clear of water-logged or boggy soil if you please), and they enjoy anything from sunny to shady places. You’ll be pleased to hear many Barberries can cope with full shade although flowering is reduced and leaf colour isn’t as vibrant as those planted in sunnier spots.
How fast does Berberis grow?
The growth rate depends on variety: dwarf Berberis can put on 30cm annually, while the taller varieties can gain anything up to 1m per year so it’s worth bearing this in mind when choosing which ones to grow.
Pruning and caring for Berberis
Pruning and caring for Berberis couldn’t be easier. Before you begin, you’ll need a good, thick pair of gloves to protect your hands from the spines and a thick long-sleeved sweater or jacket if you’re delving into the middle of the shrub. Use clean, sharp secateurs as mature, sinewy stems are pretty tough to cut through.
- For Barberries that lose their leaves in winter, (deciduous types) a light trim is all that’s required after leaf drop to maintain shape and size.
- If you’ve inherited a monster of a plant, deciduous Berberis can be cut back hard about 7 cm above ground level after flowering in early summer.
- Alternatively, you can shorten straggly stems in autumn although take care to leave the berries for foraging animals.
- Evergreen Berberis are best left alone but we recommend you remove any dead, diseased or damaged stems as needed after flowering.
When should I plant Berberis?
Pot-grown shrubs can be planted at just about any time of year, but avoid planting in frozen, waterlogged or tinder-dry ground. Both the deciduous and evergreen Barberries should be planted when they’re without leaves from October to April for the best start.
Bare-root plants are available in late autumn to winter and make a cost-effective option compared to pot-grown plants. If your bare-root plants have dried out in transit, stand plants in a bucket of water to rehydrate before planting.
How far apart should I plant Berberis hedging?
- Plant compact varieties about 45cm apart in a single row.
- Larger varieties will need more room so plant them about 60-90cm apart.
Famous for their luxuriant foliage and fantastic spring flowers, Berberis hedge plants bring an exciting and colourful feature to any garden and happily, we have the best selection of Berberis hedging plants, each having distinctive attributes. Some, but not all of our Berberis plants are available as bare-root or cell grown plants, however, all are available as pot grown plants so you can buy your favourite Berberis plants year-round.
7 Berberis species to brighten up your garden
Barberries are largely trouble-free and thrive in almost any garden setting as well as making smart, boundary hedging. Whether you’re thinking of planting a sturdy, dependable hedge or looking to add fabulous architectural accents to your garden – explore seven of the most outstanding Barberries money can buy.
1. Berberis Julianae
Height: 2.5m
Spread: 3m
Growth rate: Approximately 30 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: May-June
Often known as the ‘Wintergreen barberry,’ evergreen Berberis Julianae is nothing short of splendid. Ideal for windy and coastal gardens, it flowers slightly later than most with clusters of pale lemon flowers in early summer set against elegant deep green leaves, tinged bright green in spring and flame-tipped in autumn. The blue-black berries are prolific and stay on the bush until the following spring if they aren’t scavenged by hungry birds.
2. Berberis stenophylla
Height: 3-3.5m
Spread: 2.5- 4m
Growth rate: Approximately 30 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: April-May
One of the most enviable varieties amongst the taller Barberries, the golden Barberry has glorious, lightly fragrant, saffron-yellow spring flowers followed by blue-black berries that are excellent for making Barberry jam and jelly.
3. Berberis Ottawensis
Height: 3-4m
Spread: 3-4m
Growth rate: Approximately 60 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: May-June
Neat, rounded plummy foliage makes this smart deciduous Barberry a year-round winner. It’s a great shrub for any soil, chalk, loam, clay or sand and will thrive in both sheltered and windy gardens. Pale yellow spring flowers flushed red in bud make it an eye-catching focal plant but it will do just as well in a woodland, mixed border or eye-catching hedge studded with pillar-box red oval fruits dangle festively from autumn onward.
4. Berberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’
Height: 1.5m
Spread: 1.5m
Growth rate: Approximately 30 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: March-April
If you’re looking for more unusual foliage, B. ‘Rose Glow’ should fit the bill nicely. With an AGM (Award of Garden Merit) to its name, it’s a desirable compact, deciduous Japanese barberry with seductive damson coloured foliage marbled cream. It makes a smart, rounded shape and is a stand-out plant from mid-spring onwards hung with rounded, golden red-tinted flowers. Come autumn, its leaves are touched with flaming orange/ red hues creating a perfect backdrop for its glossy, red berries.
5. Berberis thunbergii
Height: 1.5m
Spread: 1.5m
Growth rate: Approximately 30 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: March-April
Ideal for small to mid-sized gardens, this smashing purple Barberry is a popular reliable — whatever the weather or predator, this deciduous arching shrub can cope with all comers. Deer and rabbits don’t seem to bother with what is arguably the most attractive foliage of all; rich, claret foliage charmingly showcasing signature pale yellow flowers in spring. Cheery, red berries follow in autumn, so if you’re looking for a knock-out, no-fuss, robust boundary hedging with exemplary autumn colour, this is the one to go for.
6. Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea
Height: 2.5m
Spread: 1.5m
Growth rate: Approximately 30 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: March-May
Japanese purple barberry is one of the best for stunning year-round colour. The young leaves are charmingly tinted red in spring with sunshine splashes of pale, yellow flowers. With the arrival of autumn, the foliage deepens to a rich burgundy. It’s an upright, bushy shrub and when grown as a low decorative hedge it makes pleasing mounds. For those who want a stunning, standalone feature plant in the border, like most Barberries, it can be trimmed to keep it in shape after flowering or in autumn.
7. Berberis Darwinii
Height: 3m
Spread: 3m
Growth rate: Approximately 30-60 cm annually
Planting conditions: Any average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
Flowers: April-May
More commonly known as ‘Darwin’s barberry,’ this evergreen shrub is an absolute dazzler. Small, polished deep green, holly-like leaves make it stand out from the purple-leaved varieties and arguably it offers the prettiest flowers. Tangerine-hued blossoms hanging from wine-red stems bedeck this upright plant in spring and a warm summer may see a second, modest flush of flowers before clusters of deep purple berries arrive in autumn.
Famous for their luxuriant foliage, fantastic spring flowers and enticing berries, Berberis hedging plants bring an exciting and colourful dimension to any garden, woodland, shrubbery or wildlife haven. Take a few moments to explore our exciting range and you can look forward to spectacular colour, berries galore and fiery bonfire tinted foliage in autumn.
