Crimson Pygmy Barberry

The berberis thunbergii, or more commonly known as the Crimson Pygmy Barberry, as pictured above, is a great low maintience shrub that has beautiful red leaves that turn burgundy by fall. The color and compact habit of this plant make it a popular landscape plant. 

The Crimson Pygmy Barberry grows to 2-3 feet high and about 3-4 feet wide in its life time. It only grows about 3 inches each year, and requires very little pruning. It can be used either as a border plant, or as an accent plant.  It requires a location that is mostly sunny.  

Warning!  This little beauty bites. Just below those beautiful red leaves are the tiniest, and sharpest thorns you will ever encounter.  Since the plant requires so little maintenance, you don't encounter the thorns very often.  Just don't plant Crimson Pygmy Barberry where little kids are likely to tread.  Not only will it bite them, but Barberry plants are very brittle, and if stepped on the branches break completely off.  Keep this in mind if you plan to use it along a walkway where snow shoveling will take place.

Now I would like to take a up a few lines to talk about barberry in general. Lighting is very important and Barberries need light for their leaves to turn their vivid colors. All barberry's are best grown in temperate zones. All barberries have fine root structures which need a bit of frost protection if grown in shallow pots. The barberry prefers to be watered moderately, although the barberry prefers it a bit on the dry side. Feeding is important for every plant, and the barberry likes it about every two weeks throughout summer, using a very week liquid solution. If you don't want your barberry to run wild it is a good idea to prune. The barberry flowers on one year old shoots coming off of two year old wood. Consequently, wait until after flowering to prune. Then pinch back new growth as it occurs. Barberries bud back readily. It is easier to shape the barberry through pruning than by wiring, as many species are stiff and have nasty thorns.