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Berberis
Plant
Berberis spp.
Also known as: barberry
While not always the prettiest of shrubs, they are hardy and tolerate all but dry soils, and provide valuable ground cover for birds, as well as berries.
One of the more attractive garden varieties is Berberis darwinii, which has bright orange flowers in mid-spring. An evergreen, it prefers full sun and a moist soil, growing slowly to around 3 m.
It looks best planted in a group with other shrubs. Berberis x stenophylla has smaller leaves and tall arching branches, and makes a good informal hedge, providing good nesting sites for birds. The purple-leaved Berberis thunbergii loses its leaves in winter. Look for Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea 'Nana' if you want to grow an attractive prickly hedge. B. thunbergii and B. aggregata can provide berries into autumn and winter.
Animals that benefit
- Birds are attracted to the berries, whilst the thorns provide a barrier for safe nesting sites