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. The birthplace of the plant is Japan. It features 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-shaped berries with a sour taste.
Very often, the bush is used as a hedge, but it will fit perfectly into any place in the garden. It is worth remembering that not all varieties are able to tolerate frost and cooling, therefore, before planting a shrub, it is worthwhile to learn more about its varieties.
Attention! In total, there are more than 170 species in the world, but there are some of them that are more popular.
Which varieties and varieties are more common
Despite the variety of varieties, you can easily distinguish those that are more common than others. All have their own characteristics. Often planted the following species:
- Ordinary. This is a shrub capable of reaching heights of up to 2.5 meters. The plant is prickly, shoots have a yellow-brown hue. The leaves are dark green in color, thorns can grow up to 2 cm. Flowering occurs in May-June, the flowers emit a wonderful smell. Fruit formation occurs in autumn, when leaves begin to turn yellow. The bush tolerates dry times well, can be exposed to fungal diseases. The most famous are varieties - Atropurpurea, Sulkata, Macrocarpa.
- Amursky. Outwardly, it is very similar to ordinary, but it can grow up to 3.5 meters in height. The leaves are quite large, with a glossy surface, green. 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 medium winter hardiness, prefers mountain soil or is located near natural reservoirs. The most popular are Japanese and Orpheus.
- Korean. It was received in Korea, the bush in adulthood reaches 2 meters in height. The leaves are oval, green, turn red by winter. The flowers have a bright yellow hue and a very strong smell, by which this plant is easy to identify. The variety tolerates frosts well, but does not really like moisture stagnation. It will grow better on rocky soils. The most famous species is Whole.
- Thunberg (berberis thunbergii). This variety is especially loved by gardeners. The bushes are quite small, rarely reach a height of more than 1 meter, so they are often used in landscape design. Young shoots have a yellow tint, but subsequently they become dark and acquire a purple color. Leaves are small, green. Flowering lasts from May to August. Flowers have a yellow-red hue. The bush is rather prickly, the berries are not suitable for use because they have a bitter aftertaste. In total, there are more than 70 varieties of Tunberg barberry. However, the most famous are Bonanza Gold, Kornik, Helmond Pillar, Atropurpurea Nana, Silver Beauty, Rosa Rocket, Red Chief, Carmen.
- Canadian. The variety was brought to Russia from North America. Prefers to grow near rivers, in the mountains, on the hills. Reaches a height of 2.5 meters. The shoots have a brown or purple hue. In appearance, it is very similar to the ordinary and Amur species. The leaves have an oblong shape, can reach 5 cm in length. Annual flowering and fruiting. It tolerates dry periods and frosts.
Barberis Thunberg is very popular among gardeners
There are many more varieties of barberry, which are popular among gardeners.
Orange Sunrise
Orange Sunrise is a type of Tunberg barberry bred in a nursery in the Far East. Shrub grows no more than 1.5 meters. It features erect branches with red shades. Leaflets have a rounded shape, can be bright orange or scarlet, the maximum length of the plate is 3 cm.
For reference! As an adult, a yellow border is noticeable on the leaves. Therefore, barberry Orange Sunrise is often grown for decorative purposes.
Flowering occurs in May. Along the entire shoot there are single red flowers, yellow stamens. The flowering period of Orange sunrise varieties lasts for 3 weeks.
Spines grow at least 1 cm in length, quite sharp and elastic, so this species is great for creating hedges.
The fruiting period is in autumn, the berries are elongated, red in color, have a bitter aftertaste, therefore they are not used for food.
Concord
The description of Concord barberry is quite simple; it refers to the type of Thunberg barberry. This is a dwarf shrub that does not grow above 60 cm in height, depending on growing conditions. A distinctive feature of the plant is its beautiful round crown, which in an adult bush can reach a diameter of up to 0.6 meters.
Barberry Concord grows rather slowly; in a year it can add about 2 cm in height and up to 3 cm in width.
Concord leaflets 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.
Flowering of this variety begins in late May, the flowers are small, yellow. The period is short and ends in early summer. The flowers are arranged in the form of small brushes.
In September-October, coral red berries begin to appear on the shrub, reaching a diameter of 1 cm. The fruits are not poisonous.
Red lady
Variety Darts Red Lady also belongs to Thunberg's barberry. It is distinguished by decorativeness, which manifests itself due to foliage. Leaf blades change color throughout the season. In height, the Red lady grows to 1.5 meters, the crown has a spherical shape and can reach impressive sizes. In a year, the plant adds up to 10 cm in growth. Spiky bunches are located on the trunk and shoots.
The branches are arched, in a young plant they have a pale red color, with shoots the shoots turn brown. The leaves are initially painted in crimson color, by the fall become bright red.
The flowering period begins in the second half of May. Inflorescences have a faint odor and a pale yellow hue, covered with red stripes on top. Fruiting occurs in the fall, berries remain on the branches for a very long time, can hang until the new spring.
Attention! The shrub likes well-lit places, protected from drafts.
Orange dream
Barberis of Thunberg Orange Dream has an excellent decorative look and bright colors, which is why it is often used in landscape design.
This variety is distinguished by a 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 is different original crown
The number of shoots is very dependent on frost. The stronger they are, the greater the likelihood that young shoots will die. The branches in the form of an arc have a brown tint with a greenish tint, spines are located along the entire length.
Leaf blades are small in size and oval in shape. Color can vary 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, can hang until the end of February.
Golden Touch
Golden Touch is one of the most beautiful types of Tunberg barberry. The main difference in its colors is that during the growing season it is strewn with leaves of bright yellow color, which turn red in the fall. The height of the barberry Golden Torch can reach 1.5 meters, the diameter of the crown reaches 40 cm. The shoots are drooping, covered with dense bark. Young branches of orange-yellow color, covered with thorns.
Golden Torch - 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 an inflorescence-umbrella, have a yellow tint.
Fruits are formed in September, can remain on branches until late autumn.
Important! The plant prefers a sunny location, the variety is not picky about the soil.
Other varieties
In addition to the described varieties of barberry quite a lot. Gardeners also choose:
- Thunberg Barberry Pink Queen. Pink grade. Leaflets of red-brown color with pink spots. Grows up to 1.5 meters, diameter can be up to 2.5 m. It blooms in late May, bears fruit in September.
- Barberry Pow Wow. It differs by a columnar crown, grows up to 1.5 meters in height, the crown can reach 0.5 meters. Powwow leaves change color during the season: first lemon yellow, orange-red by autumn. It tolerates frosts, is not picky about the soil.
- Barberry Lutin rouge. It is compact in size - it grows no more than 80 cm in height and up to 50 cm wide. Lutin rouge leaves in spring have a green color, turn orange with a red tint by autumn. Spines are long, fruits are red, inedible, can hang on branches for a long time.
Also popular are common barberry Albo variegata, ordinary barberry Aureo-marginate, barberry Siebold and others.
Pink Queen - pink barberry with a large diameter of the crown
Varieties of barberry quite a lot. The plant can easily be planted in open ground, so 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 pleased. Planting and caring for Thunberg barberry or any other variety most often does not require special efforts.
