Japanese Barberry 'Maria'

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) 'Maria' is a small yellow flame in the garden. The little rounded leaves hold a warm golden tone, the crown is narrow and almost columnar, and in autumn the shrub flares up in orange, yellow and red.

The narrow habit takes up little room, so 'Maria' slots neatly into a low thorny hedge, an edging, a foundation group, or stands alone as a splash of colour. Give it full sun: in shade the gold turns green. Drought-tolerant and undemanding, it takes frost down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4).

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: Bright red berries set in autumn and stay on the bare shoots long after the leaves have fallen.
• Dimensions: 0.9-1.8 m tall and 1.2-2.1 m wide at maturity.
• Hardiness: Hardy to -34 °C (USDA zone 4).
• Flowering: In April-May short racemes of small pale yellow flowers open along the shoots.
• Light: Full sun; it takes partial shade, but in shade the yellow foliage turns green and loses its brightness.
• Soil: Takes any well-drained soil from dry to moderately moist with ease; the one thing it will not stand is waterlogging.
• Watering: Water sparingly - the barberry is drought-tolerant and takes heat well, but it dies on soils where water stands.
• Care: Care is minimal and the shrub takes hedge clipping well; wear gloves when working with it, as the spines are sharp.
• Landscape use: A hedge or edging, a prickly protective barrier, foundation plantings and an accent in small compositions.