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Barberries Reemerge from Hedgerow Persecution

By Maureen "MO" Gilmer
September 25, 2006

Sunsation and other gold foliage barberries are
contrast.

Since antiquity they knew barberries did something ugly to the wheat.

Common "Berberis vulgaris" of England grew rampant in the hedgerows where its spiny branches kept livestock in bounds. And whenever in close proximity to the barberry, the wheat grew black with a devastating soot that spread out to destroy whole crops. This effect was intermittent, occurring unpredictably.

Controversy raged for centuries as to whether this was some magical effect of the barberry or whether it was disease. No matter what the cause, panicking farmers practically exterminated the barberry in Britain to protect their crops. With the advent of the microscope in the 1860s, afflicted plants were finally studied, but no direct connection was found. The wheat soot and a common barberry fungus appeared to be two different organisms.

But further study years later proved it was indeed the same organism; it was simply displaying two different phases of its life cycle.

Black Rust, or "Puccinia graminea, "would continue to plague barberries whenever weather conditions were right. Impugned as carriers, strict quarantines prevented barberries from cultivation and transport for much of the 20th century.

Many cultivars offer purple barberries in every size and shape.

But the beauty and versatility of these great shrubs has brought them roaring back during the last few decades. They were transformed by fungicide for wheat, but in heavy wheat growing regions quarantines may still exist on these plants. The big change came with introduction of the more resistant deciduous Japanese species, "B. thunbergii." One of its varieties, Atropurpurea, would set the gardening world on fire.

Atropurpureas produce a bold burgundy foliage that retains this color all season long. In the spring they produce yellow or orange flowers that stand out vividly against the purple leaves. In summer these flowers yield to berries that grow bright red in the fall. Autumn color among these beauties is even brighter and more beautiful.

For cooler climates this is among the very best colored foliage shrub hardy to Zone 4. It's been bred into a range of sizes available from very dwarf to neo-monster, making it suited to virtually every yard with full sun.

Another unique quality of the Japanese barberry is a strain of Aureas that offers golden yellow to slightly orange leaves all season. These are more recent introductions that have become the favorites of designers who create high contrast effects by combining gold and purple leaf cultivars in the garden.

Golden flowers stand out against purple leaf barberries.

The dwarf forms are particularly useful for urban gardens looking for high profile color in limited space. Crimson Pygmy is perhaps the most well known Atropurpurea, measuring just two feet tall and slightly wider. Its cousin, Gold Nugget Barberry, is even smaller, just a foot tall, featuring golden yellow-orange foliage that brightens with autumn. Both these barberries make ideal small hedges, or informal groupings where you can exploit the radical difference in foliage color. Slow growth rate means they won't take over.

For larger barberries you can use the standard Atropurpurea. It grows to about four feet. Its cultivars offer some diversity such as Rose Glow, with its leaves creatively mottled with white for up close interest. Match them with the golden leaf Sunsation of the same size but more brightly colored.

Barberries add interest to all-green gardens.

Barberries can be spotted into an existing too-green shrub border to inject instant foliage color for interest all season long. They make excellent hedges as well. Due to the naturally spiny twigs and branches, this is an excellent security plant. Use it under accessible windows or plant gorgeous barrier hedges that intruders are less likely to cross.

For plant health, keep your barberries in the sun where the foliage color will be most vivid. They'll perform even in thin or low fertility soils, but will not tolerate soggy ground.

If you're looking for relief from too many junipers or a garden that's too green, consider the barberries. Once established, they'll thrive just like their ancestors did without having to hide from persecution deep inside the English hedgerows.

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