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Woody > Berberis > Berberis thunbergii > Berberis thunbergii

Berberis thunbergii


Japanese Barberry, Thunberg's Barberry, Red Barberry




Origin:  Japan.
Family
Berberidaceae
Genus
Berberis
Species
thunbergii
Category
Woody
Type
Shrub (deciduous)
Pronunciation
USDA Hardiness Zone
4
Canadian Hardiness Zone
2 - 5a
RHS Hardiness Zone
H7
Temperature (°C)
-35 - (-29)
Temperature (°F)
-30 - (-20)
Height
60 - 240 cm
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
April
Landscape
Works well in gardens and as borders and groundcover.
Cultivation
Will thrive in any soil type that is not waterlogged, and should be grown in full sun.
Growth
Medium
ID Characteristic
B. thunbergii is most readily distinguished by the flowers being produced in umbels, not racemes.
Pests
The bacteria Pseudomonas berberidis may cause black spots on leaves, and the berberry aphid (Liosomaphis berberidis) may also be a problem.
Bark/Stem Description
Stems are angular, dark red and grooved, with simple spines.
Leaf Description
The leaves are green to blue-green, very small, spatula to oval shaped, 12-24 mm long and 3-15 mm broad; they are produced in clusters of 2-6 on a dwarf shoot in the axil of each spine.
Flower Description
The flowers are pale yellow, 5-8 mm diameter, produced in drooping 1-1.5 cm long umbrella-shaped clusters.
Fruit Description
The edible fruit is a glossy bright red to orange-red, ovoid berry 7-10 mm long and 4-7 mm broad, containing a single seed. They mature during late summer and autumn and persist through the winter.
Notable Specimens
The Gardens of Fanshawe College, London, Ontario, Canada.
Propagation
Propagate by seed or by cuttings.
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