Japanese Barberry

Japanese barberry is a dense, rounded, thorny shrub that grows slowly to somewhere between three to six feet high and slightly wider. Its green leaves emerge early in spring, in the fall turning orange, scarlet or reddish-purple in fall. Colors and size vary considerably among the cultivars. Tiny flowers appear under the foliage in spring and are considered ornamental (but can be in certain cultivars); red berries form in late summer and hold through winter.

Barberry makes a useful hedge or barrier planting; sometimes cultivars are used to spice things up in a landscape grouping.
This shrub is adaptable to a wide range of soils except for wet conditions. Give it full sun.

Note: In some parts of the country, Japanese barberry is invasive. Check with your local extension office to determine whether it's a problem in your area, and/or choose cultivars that are seedless or that are not deemed invasive. Where not invasive, Japanese barberry makes a tough, useful, multi-seasonal shrub.

Selected cultivars: