Barberry Thunberg: description, varieties, planting and care

Today, gardeners have a large selection of different ornamental plants that can be used to decorate the garden. Among the variety available, it is worth highlighting the Thunberg barberry. This culture is notable for the presence of a large number of varieties, as well as unpretentiousness in terms of agricultural technology.

It is this type of barberry that is most often cultivated in gardens as an ornamental culture. Japan is considered the birthplace of the barberry Thunberg. The plant is a deciduous shrub, some varieties of which in their natural environment can grow up to 2.5 meters in length. However, when grown in flower beds, most often you can find barberries with a height of only 100 centimeters. The culture develops ribbed branches in the shape of arcs, painted in orange or red shades. In the process of development, the shoots change their color to brown or dark brown.

Barberry in the open field forms a shrub with a crown resembling a sphere, the foliage of the culture is quite dense. The green mass is whole-edged, it can have a rhomboid or oval shape; there are also plants with rounded or oval leaves that have a slightly pointed end. The green mass of barberry is formed on petioles a couple of centimeters long. The color of the leaves on the outside will be bright green, while the lower part is usually bluish. With the arrival of autumn, the leaves most often change their color to yellow or bright red. The buds of the shrub have a red tint, develop in the shape of an egg, usually not exceeding 5 mm in length.

The flowering phase of ornamental trees falls in the spring - as a rule, the shrub transforms towards the end of May. Barberry fruits are coral-red fruits, their length rarely exceeds 1 centimeter, ripening occurs in September-October. The berries are elongated and red in color, which increases the attractiveness of such a crop growing in the garden. Thunberg barberry is a winter-hardy plant that is also remarkable for its immunity to ailments such as rust and powdery mildew. Among the remarkable features of this plant are such characteristics.

• The shrub tolerates pruning well, so the available varieties can be grown even in small areas in the open field. It will be enough to timely limit the growth of young shoots, giving the culture the required shape and size.
• Due to the structure of the shoots, the Thunberg barberry can be used in the garden as a hedge. Such cultures, planted nearby, can serve as an excellent barrier not only for outsiders to view, but also for the entry of animals or humans into the territory in the wrong places.
• The plant stands out for its high attractiveness in the fall. During this period, the combination of foliage and fruit color gives the culture a colorful and remarkable appearance.In addition, even after leaf fall, bright red berries linger on the crop for a long time, decorating it.
• Most of the varieties are distinguished by their unpretentiousness in terms of agricultural technology, especially when it comes to choosing the type of soil for rooting.
• The plant, regardless of the size of the bush, can be grown in open sunny areas, as well as planted in partial shade, in which the barberry will not lose its attractiveness.
• Also, the culture persistently tolerates air pollution. That is why such a hedge can be planted along the road.

Today, gardeners cultivate many varieties of Thunberg barberry. Among the varieties that are in greater demand, several varieties should be noted.

Shrub of regular shape, reaching a height of 70-80 centimeters. This culture stands out for its slow development rate, which for some garden compositions will be a big plus. Berberis thunbergii Aurea stands out for its good survival rate and compatibility with other garden crops, which allows you to create beautiful multi-colored compositions in the garden. The green mass of the variety has a diamond-shaped shape, has the characteristic ability to change its color from golden in spring to orange with the arrival of autumn. In areas where shade prevails, the barberry will have a green color on its leaves.

A columnar bush that can grow up to 1 meter in height. Shoots develop horizontally, but side branches may grow at a slight angle. The variety is notable for the bright green color of its leaves, resistance to negative temperatures, and the ability to develop when planted in a mixborder.

A cushion-shaped variety of barberry, in which shoots develop in different directions. In height, the culture reaches 50-60 centimeters, while the width of the shrub can grow up to one meter. The color of the green mass of barberry will be light green, the crown has a spherical shape. At the end of the summer months, the barberry changes the color of its leaves to red. According to the description of the shrub, it stands out for its unpretentiousness in terms of care, it is recommended for growing in the middle lane. The peak of its decorative attractiveness is achieved in group plantings with coniferous or deciduous crops, in flower beds located on hills or slopes.

A barberry with purple leaves that have a gold border around the edge. The culture tolerates frost well, is most often used in border compositions, as well as a hedge.

Variety with purple leaves. The crown of the shrub has a columnar shape. Typically, the height of an adult plant is within one meter. Shoots develop strictly in a horizontal position, contain smaller lateral branches. The variety can be used in single or group plantings. With regard to resistance to negative temperatures, this culture is distinguished by average indicators, therefore it is suitable for growing in mild climates with warm winters.

A shrub with a spherical crown, which has a brown-red color of green mass. The plant is small. As a rule, the height of an adult bush reaches 40-50 centimeters. During the year, it increases by only a couple of centimeters. In spring and summer, the leaves of the barberry will be dark with a pink tint; inside the shrub has green foliage, which remains unchanged in color even with the arrival of autumn.

The most popular variety of barberry, which stands out for its beauty. The crown of the plant has a spherical shape, the height reaches 30-40 centimeters. The bush grows quickly - within a year, the barberry can increase in height by 3-4 centimeters, while the width of the plant will become 2 times larger.The variety belongs to the light-loving varieties of barberry, it is undemanding to the type of soil.

When planting this barberry, it is worth considering that the shrub grows its shoots rather slowly. The branches develop horizontally, as a rule, the height of an adult bush is 150 centimeters. The crown will be columnar and dense, young shoots are usually painted pink and orange. At the same time, the green mass has a yellow tint with a pink border along the edge, in the fall the shrub will be bright orange. Flowering occurs in May, while the fruits ripen only in October. For culture, it is worth choosing sunny areas in the garden, barberry quickly recovers after cutting, can act as a topiary culture. The variety is resistant to frost, can be used to create border compositions and rock gardens.

In addition to the above varieties of Thunberg barberry, gardeners grow varieties:

• Kobold

• Kelleriis

• Pink Queen

• Concorde

• Coral

• Red compact

• Orange rocket

• Bonanza Gold and others

In order to successfully root a culture in the garden, a number of important nuances should be taken into account.

Despite the fact that the Thunberg barberry is capable of developing in the partial shade of the garden, if possible, a site for planting a plant should be selected with good access to sunny color, with a minimum of tall plants nearby, which will create shade. It is the lack of light that can negatively affect the decorativeness of the culture and the shade of its leaves. For varieties with green foliage, flower beds can be considered in partial shade, barberries with purple or orange leaves require sunlight.

It is also worth choosing a place protected from drafts and cold winds. The soil for the culture should be light and loose, with good aeration. It is also worth noting the need for deep drainage. Rooting of a plant in swampy soil should be abandoned. When planting in heavy soils, it is worthwhile to prepare in advance a planting hole for barberry from a substrate based on sod land, sand and humus.

Rooting in the ground is recommended in the spring. It is worth choosing months when the buds have not yet swollen, or planting barberry in the fall. As for the timing of planting seedlings with a closed root system, there are no strict restrictions for the Thunberg barberry in this regard, with the exception of the summer months.

Algorithm for planting barberry as follows.

• The gardener's first task will be to prepare a pit that is suitable in diameter. The optimal hole depth will be 50-60 centimeters.
• The distance between crops for group planting should be at least 1.5-2 meters. However, when planting a plant to create a hedge, crops should be planted with two shrubs per meter of the garden. For dwarf varieties, the step between seedlings should be 40-50 centimeters.
• After preparing the hole and choosing the correct distance between the plants, it is necessary to lay a layer of river sand on the bottom. A suitable layer thickness is 10 centimeters. Further, a seedling is located on the sand in the center of the pit. When planting, it is necessary to ensure that all roots are straightened, without creases.
• On top of the barberry you need to sprinkle with a layer of earth, tamp the soil. Then water the plant.
• As soon as the liquid is absorbed, it is recommended to mulch the soil. For these purposes, peat or humus is used.

In order for the culture to successfully start in the open field, the basic nuances of agricultural technology should be observed.

The shrub does not need frequent watering. Also, gardeners note that the plant remains viable even in the summer months during a period of drought. In general, natural precipitation in the form of rain will be sufficient for barberry. To help the soil retain moisture, it is recommended to make near-stem holes around the shrubs, and if watering is necessary, inject moisture under the root, avoiding moistening the green mass.

The plant responds well to the introduction of additional fertilizing. Among the available list of substances that can be used as top dressing, it is recommended to dwell on organic compounds, for example, use compost or humus. Fertilizers are usually introduced in the spring. You can combine these activities with digging the soil. In the fall, you should limit yourself to a layer of peat mulch laid in the trunk circle.

Culture does not need to be molded. It will be necessary to trim the barberry only when the gardener is faced with the task of shortening shoots that are too long, which violate the decorative attractiveness of the crown. but it will be necessary to form the shrub by pruning during the annual sanitary work in the spring. During this period, it is necessary to cut off the branches of the plant that did not survive frost, with obvious traces of damage by negative temperatures, and shoots that have dried up.

Get a new culture in several ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• layering;
• undergrowth;
• dividing the bush.

The first option will be the longest, it makes it possible to get not only new crops of the same variety, but also hybrid options. but the collected planting material from the barberry is distinguished by an extremely low germination rate, as a rule, only a third of the seeds germinate. To propagate a shrub by this method, it is necessary to first carry out the scarification process, after which the seeds are sown in open ground before winter, deepening them by 3-5 centimeters. This will help the material to naturally harden. As a rule, the most resistant seeds will sprout in the spring. After 2-3 years, the matured plants can already be transplanted to a permanent place.

Next, the collected material is kept in a growth stimulator, after which it is rooted in a container and covered with a film. The layering method is recommended for spring breeding. To get a new culture in this way, you need to select the side low-growing shoots of barberry, dig them in. Watering should be done regularly during the summer. In the fall, when roots appear on them, the layers can be separated from the mother bush. When dividing the barberry, the resulting part can be immediately rooted in the chosen place. To get a ready-made seedling, you need to dig up a barberry bush, and then divide it into healthy parts with a root system. The division is carried out in the spring, before the flowering phase, or in the fall, before leaf fall.

Among the insect pests that pose a danger to the Thunberg barberry, it is worth noting aphids and flower moths. To combat them, the gardener is recommended to use store formulations, for example, "Chlorofos" or "Decis". Alternative methods can also be used to combat aphids. This can be spraying with soapy water or tobacco broth. With a large number of pests on the culture, the fight against them is carried out with acaricides - "Aktara", "Aktellik", etc. Barberry is also susceptible to some dangerous diseases. Among the most common ones, the following stands out:

• powdery mildew;
• spotting;
• rust.

Signs indicating the development of the first ailment, judging from its name, will be a white bloom on green mass. Treatment for such a disease is carried out by spraying the shrub with a solution based on colloidal sulfur or sulfur-lime composition. Affected shoots inside the plant must be removed and disposed of. The mottling of the green mass is manifested by the wilting of the barberry. The leaves begin to dry and fall off. Treatment is carried out with a copper oxide treatment composition.

Variants of using a shrub to decorate a private or public area will depend on the varieties and varieties of the Thunberg barberry.

• Tall plants that can lengthen by 1 meter or more can be planted side by side to form a dense and beautiful hedge. Also, such crops are suitable for decorating the borders of flower beds.

• Medium shrubs are usually used to create flower arrangements in conjunction with other horticultural crops. Thunberg barberry is combined with small ornamental shrubs, flowering or evergreen perennials.

• Low-growing varieties are usually used to decorate rocky gardens; often dwarf barberry can be found in rockeries. Also, an ornamental plant can be used as a cover crop.

For information on how to properly care for the Thunberg barberry, see the next video.