Berberis / Japanese barberry

A sturdy, thorny, impenetrable, slow growing deciduous hedge, tolerant of poor soils and suitable for exposed locations.

Likes moist, well-drained, chalk, sandy, clay and loamy soils

Likes full sun to partial shade

Annual growth slow 10-25cm

Strengths include tolerance of poor soil, prevents erosion, wind barrier

Formal hedge, Security hedge, Industrial sites

Shallow spreading, dense with many fibrous roots

Suitable for coastal planting

Prune twice during the growing season

Berberis hedges can be kept low or easily maintained any height up to 3 metres. They take particularly well to pruning and can be trimmed once in the spring, after flowering for a natural hedge or trimmed again during the growing season, if a tighter more formal hedge is desired.

Berberis will grow in nearly almost any well-drained soil and exposed areas, including coastal sites. Its many sharp thorns make this hedge a good security screen – a painful deterrent to any unwanted visitor. Due to its wide spreading, dense fibrous root system, Berberis is also a good planting option for preventing soil erosion.