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Japanese Barberry

Botanical Name
Berberis thunbergii
Min Zone
4
Max Zone
8
Height
3 to 6 feet
Width
4 to 7 feet
Flowers
Spring: yellow, not showy
Fruit
Bright red, elliptical berry
Fall Color
Orange, scarlet, reddish-purple
Light
Full sun
Soil
Tolerant of a wide range of soils, except wet
Planting & Care
  • Transplants easily
  • Drought and urban tolerant
  • Best leaf color in full sun
Problems
Bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, wilt, invasive in some parts of the country
Varieties
  • Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea - red-purple leaves, good red fall color (seedling variability), flowers are tinged with purple
  • Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea 'Crimson Pigmy' - red-purple foliage, short internodes 18 to 24 inches wide, 32 to 36 inches tall

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