Purple Berberis

A medium sized shrub with tall arching stems, bronze-purple foliage which has vivid red autumn colour. The purple leaf of this deciduous Japanese barberry makes it stand out from the crowd. It has yellow cup-shaped flowers in Spring; an abundance of scarlet berries adorn its spiny branches in the Autumn. Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea makes a superb well clipped low to medium-high hedge. It will grow in most soils including poor ones, birds appreciate this dense spiny hedge for nesting and food.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Any well-drained soil
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Season of Interest: Purple foliage colour in Summer, berries and good colour in Autumn
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 5.5ft (1.8m)  Spread: 4ft(1.2m)
Hedge spacing: 18” (45cm) apart