Barberry - popular varieties, description

Various shrubs are often used to decorate the garden. Barberry is one of the most popular. Many varieties of this beautiful plant have been bred, which differ in appearance, growing conditions and other features.

Description of barberry

Barberry is a unique ornamental shrub that is often planted in gardens. Japan is considered the birthplace of the plant. Differs in erect stems, a large number of leaves, thorny shoots.

All types of barberry are distinguished by their decorative effect.

During flowering, barberries emit a wonderful smell, lush flowers, oval berries with a sour taste.

Very often the shrub is used as a hedge, but it will perfectly fit into any place in the garden. It is worth remembering that not all varieties are capable of withstanding frost and cold snap, therefore, before planting a shrub, it is worthwhile to learn more about its varieties.

What varieties and varieties are more common

Despite the variety of varieties, one can easily identify those that are more common than others. They all have their own characteristics. The following types are more often planted:

• Ordinary. It is a shrub capable of reaching heights of up to 2.5 meters. The plant is distinguished by thorniness, the shoots have a yellow-brown tint. The leaves are dark green in color, the thorns can grow up to 2 cm. Flowering occurs in May-June, the flowers emit a wonderful smell. Fruit formation occurs in autumn when the leaves begin to turn yellow. The bush tolerates dry times well, and can be subject to fungal diseases. The most famous varieties are Atropurpurea, Sulkata, Macrocarpa.
• Amursky. Outwardly, it is very similar to an ordinary one, but it can grow up to 3.5 meters in height. The leaves are quite large, with a glossy surface, green in color. It blooms with yellow flowers with a sweet aroma, berries can be up to 1 cm in size, have a red tint and hang on branches for a long time. The variety is characterized by average winter hardiness, prefers mountain soil or is located near natural reservoirs. The most popular varieties are Japanese and Orpheus.
• Korean. Received in Korea, the bush in an adult state reaches 2 meters in height. Leaves are oval, green, turning red by winter. The flowers have a bright yellow hue and a very strong odor, by which this plant is easy to identify. The variety tolerates frosts well, but does not really like stagnant moisture. Will grow better on rocky soils. The most famous type is the All-Edge.
• Thunberg (berberis thunbergii). This variety is especially loved by gardeners. The bushes are quite small, rarely reaching a height of more than 1 meter, therefore they are often used in landscape design. Young shoots have a yellow tint, but later they become dark and turn purple in color. The leaves are small, green. Flowering lasts from May to August. Flowers are yellow-red. The bush is quite thorny, the berries are not suitable for food, because they have a bitter taste. There are more than 70 varieties of Thunberg barberry in total. However, the most famous are Bonanza Gold, Kornik, Helmond Pillar, Atropurpurea Nana, Silver Beauty, Roses Rocket, Red Chief, Carmen.
• Canadian. The variety was brought to Russia from North America.It prefers to grow near rivers, in mountainous areas, on hills. Reaches a height of 2.5 meters. Shoots are brown or purple in color. In appearance it is very similar to the common and Amur species. The leaves are oblong and can be up to 5 cm long. Flowering and fruiting are annual. It tolerates dry periods and frosts well.

Barberry Thunberg is very popular among gardeners

There are many more varieties of barberry that are popular among gardeners.

Orange Sunrise

Orange Sunrise is one of the Thunberg barberry species, bred in a nursery in the Far East. The shrub grows no more than 1.5 meters. Differs in erect branches with red tints. The leaves are rounded, they can be bright orange or scarlet, the maximum length of the plate is 3 cm.

Flowering occurs in May. Along the entire shoot there are single red flowers, yellow stamens. The flowering period of Orange sunrise lasts for 3 weeks.

The spines grow at least 1 cm in length, are quite sharp and resilient, so this type is great for creating a hedge.

The fruiting period occurs in autumn, the berries are elongated, red in color, have a bitter taste, therefore they are not used for food.

Concorde

The description of the Concorde barberry is quite simple, it belongs to the type of Thunberg barberry. It is a dwarf shrub that does not grow taller than 60 cm depending on growing conditions. A distinctive feature of the plant is its beautiful round crown, which in an adult bush can reach up to 0.6 meters in diameter.

The Concorde barberry grows rather slowly, a year it can add about 2 cm in height and up to 3 cm in width.

Concord leaves change color during the season. Initially, they have a purple hue, gradually becoming more red. The surface is shiny, so the shrub looks great in the sun.

The flowering of this variety begins at the end of May, the flowers are small, yellow in color. The period is short and ends at the beginning of summer. The flowers are arranged in the form of small tassels.

In September-October, coral-red berries begin to appear on the bush, up to 1 cm in diameter. The fruits are not poisonous.

Red Lady

Darts Red Lady also belongs to the Thunberg barberry. Differs in decorativeness, which is manifested through foliage. Leaf blades change their color throughout the season. In height Red lady grows up to 1.5 meters, the crown has a spherical shape and can reach impressive sizes. The plant grows up to 10 cm per year. Thorny bunches are located on the trunk and shoots.

The branches are arched, in a young plant they have a pale red color, with age the shoots turn brown. The leaves are initially crimson, turning bright red by autumn.

The flowering period begins in the second half of May. The inflorescences have a faint smell and a pale yellow tint, covered with red stripes on top. Fruiting occurs in the fall, the berries remain on the branches for a very long time, they can hang until new spring.

Orange Dream

Barberry Thunberg Orange Dream has an excellent decorative appearance and bright colors, therefore it is often used in landscape design.

This variety differs in the crown - after a while it becomes like a falling fountain. In this case, the height remains within 80 cm. The diameter of the plant can reach 1-1.2 meters.

Orange Dream has an original crown

The number of shoots is very dependent on frost. The stronger they are, the more likely it is that young shoots will die.The branches in the shape of an arc have a brown tint with a greenish tint, spines are located along the entire length.

The leaf blades are small and oval in shape. The color can range from orange to bright scarlet.

In the last decade of May, flowering begins, the buds have a yellow or orange hue. Fruiting takes place from late September to early October. The berries are small, have a ruby ​​hue, and can hang until the end of February.

Golden Touch

Golden Touch is one of the most beautiful types of Thunberg barberry. The main difference is in its color - during the growing season, it is strewn with leaves of bright yellow color, which acquire a red tint by autumn. In height, the Golden Torch barberry can reach 1.5 meters, the crown diameter reaches 40 cm.The shoots are drooping, covered with dense bark. Young branches are orange-yellow, covered with thorns.

Golden Torch is one of the most beautiful varieties of barberry

The flowering of the Golden torch species occurs at the end of May. The flowers are small, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences, have a yellow tint.

Fruits are formed in September and can be stored on branches until late autumn.

Other varieties

In addition to the ones described, there are quite a few varieties of barberry. Gardeners also choose:

• Barberry Thunberg Pink Queen. Pink variety. Leaves are red-brown in color with pink spots. It grows up to 1.5 meters, the diameter can be up to 2.5 m. It blooms in late May, bears fruit in September.
• Barberry Pau Wow. It has a columnar crown, it grows up to 1.5 meters in height, the crown can reach 0.5 meters. Powwow leaves change color during the season: at first they are lemon yellow, by autumn they become orange-red. It tolerates frost well, is not picky about the soil.
• Barberry Lyutin Rouge. Differs in compactness - it grows no more than 80 cm in height, up to 50 cm in width. The leaves of Lutin rouge are green in spring, turn orange with a red tint by autumn. The thorns are long, the fruits are red, inedible, they can hang on the branches for a long time.

Also popular are the common barberry Albo-variegata, common barberry Aureo-marginata, Siebold's barberry and others.

Pink Queen - pink barberry with a large crown diameter

There are quite a few varieties of barberry. The plant can be easily planted outdoors, which is why it is popular with gardeners. Before choosing a variety, it is recommended to carefully study all the characteristics of the plant so that the result is pleasing. Planting and caring for Thunberg barberry or any other variety most often does not require much effort.