Berberis thunbergii Inspiration - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Inspiration - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Inspiration - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Inspiration - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Inspiration - Barberry
Berberis thunbergii Inspiration®
Japanese Barberry
Beautiful and vigorous
Alex, 23/04/2025
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Description
Berberis thunbergii 'Inspiration' is a beautiful variety with a very compact and rounded habit and original young foliage splashed with purple, pink and white! Its small size and neat appearance make it perfect for creating low borders or accompanying flowering plants in beds or rockeries. Its deciduous foliage darkens to purple before turning red and orange in autumn. Its insignificant spring flower clusters are nectar-rich and attract a large number of pollinating insects. Hardy and drought-tolerant, it is a robust shrub that needs full sun and well-drained soil to achieve a more intense colouration.
Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese barberry, is a shrub in the Berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading, and low habit, and deciduous foliage, semi-evergreen in mild climates. The colour of its foliage intensifies under full sun. Hardy and resistant to temporary droughts, it is a very easy shrub to grow in well-drained soils.
The cultivar 'Inspiration' is a recent variety with a medium growth rate, reaching 50cm (19.7in) in height and 60cm (23.6in) in width. The branches of this variety are erect, bushy, and dense, with a light beige to brown colour and small thorns. The marbled young foliage and compact habit are its main assets. The glossy leaves, measuring 2 to 3cm (0.8 - 1.2in) in length, are obovate (oval, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). When they first emerge, they display a colouration splashed with purple, pink, and white, and as they mature, they darken to purple. In autumn, they turn red and orange before falling. In May-June, numerous clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. These bell-shaped flowers, 1cm (0.4in) long, are creamy white, nectar-rich and followed by small, bright red spherical fruits, 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3in) long, which persist on the branches throughout part of the winter.
Japanese Barberry is a very adaptable shrub in terms of soil, tolerating pruning well, but clearly preferring sunny exposures. It is a shame to confine it to the role of a monochrome and anonymous defensive hedge where its naturally graceful habit is completely hidden. The fanciful foliage of 'Inspiration' deserves a prominent place in front of taller shrubs with pink flowers (Kolkwitzia, Abelia, Abeliophyllum distichum 'Roseum'), red flowers (Japanese Quince, roses, Weigelas), or even yellow to orange flowers (Japanese Kerria, Lena Orange Broom, Dropmore Scarlett Honeysuckle). Its low habit allows it to be used to create colourful ground covers, even on slopes, or to enhance a pot on a terrace or balcony. It can also be paired with the silver foliage of small artemisias like 'Little Mice' or the cream-variegated foliage of perennials like 'variegated ground elders'.
Berberis thunbergii Inspiration - Barberry in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Berberis
thunbergii
Inspiration®
Berberidaceae
Japanese Barberry
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Berberis thunbergii 'Inspiration' 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 new branches to grow. Be careful not to touch the branches with bare hands as they have thorns that are difficult to remove once they penetrate the skin. Berberis thunbergii can be susceptible to powdery mildew and black leaf spots. Aphids can also infest 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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