Top Ten Favourite Shrubs - Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'

It's Plant File Friday day again!!!

So last week we looked at the profile of a small tree - Rhus typhina. Trees are great in any garden as they add height and structure and help to form the backbone of a garden. You can also plant them alone and make a feature of them.

Today, lets look at a shrub that you can plant with the Rhus typhina and start to form that backbone!

Latin name:

Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'

Deciduous or Evergreen: Evergreen

Design Function: Structural, hedging

Form and Shape of Shrub: Round

Texture of Leaves: Smooth

Colour of Foliage: Maroon

Colour of Bark: Dark Reddish-Brown with thorns

Colour of Flowers: Yellow followed by Deep Purple Berries

Main Season of Interest: All year for foliage / Spring for flowers and berries

Horticultural Information

Country of Origin: Japan, China

Soil Type preferred: Acid or Neutral

Aspect preferred: Suits any aspect

Height and Spread at 5 years: 1.8m x 1.8m

Height and Spread at maturity: 1.8m x 1.8m

Common Problems: None Known at present

Other notable Cultivars of Species: Berberis thunbergii 'aurea' (foliage), Berberis darwinii (flowers/fruit)

National Collection: Mr R.J. Gregory, Nottinghamshire

My personal opinion of Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'

I love this shrub! I'd have to say it's in my top ten all time favourite shrubs. Hence why it's the first one I've listed here! This shrub is so versatile and can be used in the back of borders to add backbone and structure or as a hedge. As it's prickly it works well as a security boundary. Anyone trying to scramble there way through a hedge made of Berberis thunbergii is seriously going to feel it! Being evergreen the leaves stay all year round and even in the thick of winter you can have a stunning display of bright red leaves. Not only is it attractive to look at, but it doesn't need much care. Apart from an annual prune to keep it in shape, and regular watering/ feeding when it is young, you can leave it to pretty much get on with it. It's fab! The flowers are quite an acid yellow which are quite welcoming in Spring and are followed by masses of berries which the birds absolutely love. I use this shrub a lot in my planting plans.