Sunsation® Japanese Barberry

Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape. Pruning time: spring after flowering.

Vivid golden yellow foliage makes this a bright spot in any garden. An excellent way to spice up mixed shrub borders to stand up all season against dark evergreens. The perfect plant to make blooming seasonals literally pop out in high contrast. A perfect choice to break up long expanses of wall or fence line. Calls attention to important points in foundation planting to cover up unsightly vents and utilities front yard or back. Create a super bold yellow hedge or intermix this with closely related purple barberries for an eye popping effect. A natural for modern gardens dependent on foliage color for interest.

Barberries are named for their wickedly sharp barbs or thorns that line the branches, and for the berries that follow the flowers. While European barberries were well known, it was not until the Asian species entered the market that avid breeding began. The first botanist to identify this Japanese barberry in Japan and named it in 1784 was Peter Thunberg, a physician with the Dutch East India Company. He is credited with some of the earliest Asian plants introductions to the west. The first purple leaf variety was not recorded until the 20th century by French nurseryman M. Renault around the time of World War I. This golden leaf cultivar descended from these Atropurpureas. It was discovered by Henry Eiler of Eiler Nursery in Lichfield in Illinois and introduced by Monrovia in 1985.

The fruit of barberries has been used in various culinary preparations. It has been pickled for use as garnish. Berries when ripe are made into jelly and added to comfits. It is the berries from which confitures d'epine vinetteis prepared, for which Rouen is famous. Barberry roots boiled in lye dye wool yellow.