SHRUBS > BERBERIS > VARIETIES
IN THIS GUIDE
BERBERIS GUIDES
OverwinteringPropagationPruningVarieties
Berberis , also know as ‘ Barberry ’ , is an easy - to - grow shrub that is native to many countries across the mankind .
Here in the UK , there are a number of make varieties and cultivars that are grown extensively due to their power to grow with ease in our meek clime .
“ Berberis species and cultivar make versatile garden plants , from compact anatomy for smaller garden through to large shrubs , all offering both early flowers and autumn Charles Edward Berry , ” enounce Colin Skelly , Horticultural Consultant .
“ Some even expose stunning fall colours and can also be left unpruned or clipped , get them suitable for a range of garden style .
“ My personal preferred isBerberis darwiniifor its vivacious orange spring flowers and comestible blue berry in autumn . ”
Here are some favourites you may find interesting to grow :
1)Berberis vulgaris
Berberis vulgarisis known as the common barberry .
It mature wild through much of Europe and is naturalised here in the UK and northerly Europe .
It is cultivated for its fruits in a number of countries .
Traditionally , the berries have been used in jam make and in Iran , are unremarkably used as currant in rice pilaf.1Focus On Culture : barberry . ( 2015 , October 11 ) . Polyglottando . retrieve March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.polyglottando.com/?cat=30
2)B. darwinii
B. darwiniiis one of the two independent parents for cultivars in the UK and a very pop garden and hedging shrub here .
It is native to southern Chile and Argentina and naturalised in many other places.2Berberis darwinii . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:273235-2
Growing to an eventual height of 3 - 4 m ( or even taller ) it is a thorny evergreen which contain stunning orange blossom in bound which are follow in summertime by purple - black ( edible though rather acidulent ) berries .
This plant takes its name , of course of action , from Charles Darwin , who discovered it in 1835 during the ocean trip of The Beagle.3Berberis darwinii . ( n.d.-b ) . Oregon State University . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/berberis-darwinii
3)B.thunbergii
B.thunbergiiis the other principal parent for many UK Berberis cultivars .
It is also screw as Japanese barberry , Thunberg ’s barberry or cherry-red barberry .
aboriginal to Japan and east Asia , it is widely naturalize elsewhere and is common in UK gardens.4Berberis thunbergii . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:107136-1
It is a smaller bush that typically develop to 1 m marvellous and around 2.5 m wide .
Its leaves typically turn a splendiferous red ink in fall , and it also bear its red fruits at this time of year .
pallid icteric flowers appear in the bounce – unlike other Berberis , this one bears its flowers in umbels , not racemes .
4)B.aristata
B. aristatais another evergreen plant shrub , hardy to UK zone 6 and not frost tender .
It is also known as Indian barberry or Chitra and is native to the Himalayas .
It flowers in around May and also bring out edible berries which are commonly dried and used like raisins in India .
5)B.buxifolia
B.buxifoliais also known as Magellan barberry .
It is native to South America but has once in a while naturalised in Britain.5Berberis buxifolia – Magellan Barberry . ( n.d . ) . PFAF Plant Database . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Berberis+buxifolia
It is hardy to UK geographical zone 5 and is not Robert Frost cutter .
Again , it has edible fruits , and some say that these are the best flavoured of the South American barberries .
Green unripe fruits can also be used like gooseberries in PIE etc .
There are plenteousness of other barberry – but the above are all interesting options to consider – both for esthetic reason and because these are the varieties with the most edible Charles Edward Berry .
For both ocular appeal and edible berries , B. darwiniiis highly recommended .
For the slap-up twelvemonth - round visual pastime , B. thunbergiiwould be our top selection – though the berries on this are technically edible , however , they do not taste very good .
Top cultivars to look at let in :
6)B.darwinii‘Compacta’
A more compact cultivar with beautiful flowers and edible Berry .
7)B.xlologensis‘Apricot Queen’
A hybrid ofB. darwiniiwith stunning flowers .
8)B.thunbergiif.atropurpurea
fantastically easy to grow , with beautiful leafage .
