Purple Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea)
The Purple Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea) is a vigorous deciduous shrub. In this article we will learn how to plant and grow this plant.
It has rounded leaves of dark red or purple color that turn vivid red in autumn. The flowers are small yellow colored tinged with red and produce red berries.
Plant profile
Common name: Purple Japanese barberryScientific name: Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea
Plant type: Shrubs
Height: 50cm - 1.5m
Spread: 50cm - 1.5m
Foliage: Deciduous
Foliage color: Purple (spring), Purple (summer), Red (autumn), Red (spring), Red (summer)
Flower color: Yellow (spring)
Fruit color: Red (autumn), Red (summer)
Season of interest: Autumn, Spring, Summer
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained, Well drained
Garden type: Architectural, City & Courtyard Gardens, Coastal, Formal garden, Informal Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding, Hedging & Screens, Low Maintenance
Seasonal colors
| Season | Stem | Foliage | Flower | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Its lush color and growth habit make it useful for filling spaces in beds and borders.
It is also a plant widely used in hedging of small or medium size. It reacts well to pruning and forms a compact, spiny, almost impenetrable hedge.
This plant is one of our choices in the list of shrubs with the best autumn colors.
When handling this plant, wear protective glasses and gloves because of its spines.
The barberry fruits are very popular with small birds.
Purple Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea) – purple red leaves
How to plant
It prefers to be planted in places of full sun or half shade. It tolerates any type of soil as long as it is not waterlogged.
Propagation
Berberis can be propagated through seeds, cuttings, layering and division of plants that produce branches from the base.
The varieties must be propagated by vegetative methods and not by seed, in order to maintain their characteristics.
It is very easy to propagate japanese barberry by woody cuttings or division.
