Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Dart's Red Lady
Japanese Barberry
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Description
Berberis thunbergii 'Dart's Red Lady' is a stunning, award-winning variety of barberry with the Award of Garden Merit! This dwarf bush bears charming small ovate red-purple leaves that offer a spectacular contrast with its pale yellow, slightly fragrant and nectar-rich flower clusters in spring. Its foliage then turns a flamboyant orange-red, illuminating the garden until the start of winter. Small bright red fruits beloved by birds complete this colourful scene. Compact, it will be perfect in borders, hedges, or in pots. It is a perfectly hardy and undemanding bush that can be planted in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soils that are not too dry.
Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese barberry, is a bush of the berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading, and low habit, and deciduous foliage, almost evergreen in mild climates. The colour of its foliage intensifies under full sun. Hardy and resistant to temporary drought, it is a very easy bush to grow in well-drained soils.
The cultivar 'Dart's Red Lady' is a compact bush with medium growth, reaching about 70cm (27.6in) in height and 1m (39.4in) in width. The branches, ranging from beige to light brown, are erect and dense in this variety and bear small thorns. Its colourful foliage is the main asset of this barberry, consisting of glossy leaves which measure 2 to 3cm (0.8 - 1.2in) long and are obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). At bud break, they show a cherry red colour and as they ripen they darken to become deep red-purple. In autumn, they turn bright orange-red before falling. In May-June, numerous clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. These bell-shaped flowers are 1cm (0.4in) long and pale yellow marked with red. They are fragrant, very nectar-rich, and followed in September-October by small bright red spherical fruits measuring 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3in), which persist on the branches for part of the winter.
Japanese barberry is a very accommodating bush in terms of soil, tolerating pruning very well but clearly preferring sunny exposures. It is a shame to confine it to the role of a monochrome and anonymous defensive hedge bush where its naturally graceful habit is completely masked. The intensely coloured foliage of 'Dart's Red Lady' deserves a prominent position in front of taller bushes with pink flowers (Kolkwitzia, Abelia, Abeliophyllum distichum 'Roseum'), red flowers (Japanese quinces, roses, Weigelas), or even yellow to orange flowers (Japanese kerria, Lena Orange broom, Dropmore Scarlett honeysuckle). To create striking contrasts, it can also be paired with the silver foliage of small artemisias like 'Little Mice' or the variegated cream foliage of perennials like 'variegated bishop's weed'.
Berberis thunbergii Darts Red Lady - Barberry in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Planting and care
Berberis thunbergii 'Dart's Red Lady' thrives in full sun or partial shade, with autumn colours being more intense in the sun. It is a plant that tolerates drought and harsh winters. Plant it in any type of soil as long as it is well-drained. The planting hole should be twice the size of the root ball. Space the Berberis about 80cm (31.5in) apart, add compost and water well. It is a bush that tolerates pruning very well. From June to August, after flowering, prune the faded branches to the level of the young lateral shoots to encourage the growth of new branches. Be careful not to touch the branches with bare hands as they have thorns that are difficult to remove once they enter the skin. The Berberis thunbergii can be susceptible to powdery mildew and black leaf spots. Aphids can also invade it.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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