Barberry - Royal Burgundy - 2 Gallon

DESCRIPTION: An attractive compact shrub for the garden border with rich velvet-burgundy foliage all season long turning to deep red in fall, keeps its tightly mounded low-growing habit without pruning, color doesn't fade over summer. Small thorns make it a good barrier shrub.

BOTANICAL NAME: Berberis thunbergii 'Gentry'
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 0.6 Meter
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 1 Meter
SUN EXPOSURE: Full sun to partial shade - More intense colour in full sun
FLOWER COLOUR: Yellow
FLOWERING TIME: Spring
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Dark burgundy
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 4 - ( Should survive up to -34.4° Celsius ) Has full one year warranty if planted in semi-protected location
WATER NEEDS: Average - Drought tolerant
OTHER FEATURES: Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant, Fall Colour, Rabbit Resistant, Winter Interest

Ornamental Features

Royal Burgundy Japanese Barberry is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. The fruits are showy scarlet drupes carried in abundance from early to late fall. It has attractive burgundy foliage which emerges red in spring. The small oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding dark red in the fall. It features tiny clusters of yellow flowers hanging below the branches in mid spring.

Landscape Attributes

Royal Burgundy Japanese Barberry is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

• Spiny

Royal Burgundy Japanese Barberry is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Royal Burgundy Japanese Barberry will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. 

Royal Burgundy Japanese Barberry makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception.