Barberry Coronita - description and cultivation

Barberry Koronita is one of the brightest ornamental shrubs that are planted at their summer cottage. Its unusual leaves make the plant a central figure in any decorative landscape design. And cultivation is within the power of even novice gardeners.

Barberry Thunberg Coronita - description and features

A colorful bush with proper care can reach a height of up to 1.5 meters. Its rounded crown spreads out 1.4 meters in diameter. Shoots are dense and prickly. On them are located, imperceptible to the naked eye, thorns.

Berberis coronit

The root system is located near the surface of the earth. The stems grow small ovoid leaves 3 cm long and 1 cm wide. Their distinctive feature is color - the leaf plates have a brown-red tint and a light green border. Moreover, the color of the border is pronounced in the autumn period.

The shoots of young Koronita, like the leaves, are dark red in color. With age, the crust becomes brown. Barberry buds gather in small inflorescences or grow singly. They begin to bloom in May and bloom for about two weeks. In the middle of autumn, small oblong red fruits ripen.

The fruits of the barberry Coronita are inedible

Shrub planting

Berberis Thunbergii Coronita in the garden is planted in open ground in two ways - by seeds or seedlings. The second option is preferable, since the shoots will have time to take root and adapt to a new place before the onset of cold weather.

The plant should be planted in sandy loam and loam. Swampy areas or areas where water stagnates will not work. For lush growth, a soil rich in beneficial elements is needed. Lighting also plays an important role - barberry loves direct sunlight. If it is in the shade, then the leaves will lose their bright color.

The turnberg barberry Koronita has a root system located close to the surface of the earth. It is best to buy seedlings in garden stores - a bush that has already been in a container with a substrate for some time will more easily take root in the open field.

Before planting, the container with Koronita must be placed in a basin of water so that the soil is sufficiently moistened. This will allow you to reach the bush without damaging its roots.

The process of planting barberry is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Without damaging the roots, the seedlings are removed from the pot.
2. A drainage layer is laid in the hole, a substrate and seedlings are placed on top.
3. Fill the hole with the substrate so that it completely covers the roots.
4. Watering and mulching of the root space is carried out.

Seedling barberry

Within a month after planting, the young plant is moistened every 7 days.

Rules for caring for barberry Coronita

Koronita Turnberg is a rather unpretentious plant, but the basic requirements for caring for it must be observed.

Watering

For an adult barberry for normal growth, there is enough moisture with precipitation. However, in a particularly dry and hot season, he needs to provide additional watering. To prevent water from leaving the root zone, it is recommended to make a small ditch around the hole.

Using warm soft water, water the bush directly under the root. After each moistening, it is necessary to loosen the soil and remove all weeds and dead wood so that the roots receive the necessary amount of liquid, oxygen and nutrients.

Top dressing

It is necessary to fertilize the shrub in the spring. This is done together with the digging of the earth. For feeding, organic elements are used - humus or compost. The rest of the time, there is no need to fertilize the plant. In autumn, barberry can be mulched with peat or humus.

Pruning

Pruning is done after winter is over. The procedure involves the removal of dried and frozen areas of the bush. To understand which branches are to be pruned, it is worth waiting for the first leaves to appear.

Also, once every few years, it is recommended to carry out shaping and sanitization. In this case, dry, diseased and too elongated branches are cut off.

Pruning barberry bush

You can correct the shape of the bush throughout the summer.

Reproduction methods

You can propagate the Koronita barberry in almost any way:

• layering;
• division;
• cuttings;
• seeds.

The root system of the plant develops very quickly and the next year new shoots appear from it, therefore division is a rather popular method of reproduction. In the spring, as soon as it gets warmer, the mother bush is removed from the ground and divided into parts so that each of them has at least 5 shoots. After that, the seedlings are planted in open ground.

The reproduction option by layering is as follows:

1. The lower branches are sprinkled with soil so that only the tops remain on the surface.
2. The dug-in place is fastened with staples.
3. The bend is regularly watered.
4. The first shoots will appear in about a month. The soil around them is loosened and watering continues.
5. Transplanting to a permanent place in the garden is carried out in spring or autumn.

For propagation by cuttings, woody branches, 15 cm long, or young shoots are used. Selected cuttings are treated with root stimulants. After that, they are planted in a mixture of sand and peat, covered with a transparent cap, in which high humidity is maintained. Landing in open ground is done in spring or autumn.

With the help of seeds, barberry is grown very rarely, since the germination rate in this case is no more than 45%. They are kept in the refrigerator for 3 months, after which they are planted in containers or immediately in open ground. In the future, young seedlings are transplanted after a few years.

Preparing for winter

Coronite is highly frost-resistant, so it can well hibernate without shelter at temperatures not lower than -30 ° C. However, if strong winds blow in the region, then it is worth preparing protection for the shrub. Before the onset of cold weather, a layer of mulch with a thickness of at least 10 cm is arranged around the bush.

Shelter for the winter

It is recommended to cover young plants with any tissue material.

Use in landscape design

Barberry is most often used in the garden as a contrasting plant relative to conifers and green bushes. It is also used when decorating a rock garden, as a hedge or curb.

In the right hands, the Koronita bush can take on any shape.

Healing properties

Barberry root can be used medicinally. Tinctures and decoctions are most often made from it, which are used for the following:

• strengthening of blood vessels;
• choleretic and diuretic;
• decrease in pressure;
• anti-inflammatory agent.

In any case, before using a decoction or tincture, you should consult your doctor.

Diseases and pests

Barberry rarely gets sick and is attacked by pests. However, some of them can seriously harm him.

Of insects, aphids and a flower moth are dangerous for the plant.If measures are not taken in time, they can damage the leaves and fruits of the barberry. To combat pests, a soap solution is used, which is applied to the surface of the bush or spraying with insecticides.

Powdery mildew is one of the few diseases that can affect Coronitis. To get rid of the fungus, the plant is treated with fungicides, and the affected branches and leaves are removed.

Barberry Koronita is an excellent option for decorating a summer cottage. It is unpretentious in cultivation and care, and its unusual appearance will be a great addition to landscape design.