Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea'
(Golden Japanese Barberry)
Family - Berberidaceae
Category - Shrub
Year of Introduction - 1950
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H7
Height - 1.2m
Width - up to 1.2m
Location - The Hot Garden
Description: A small, Deciduous Shrub with an upright, bushy habit and spiny branches. Small obovate to spoon-shaped leaves emerge bright yellow in spring and gradually fade to yellow-green with age. Small, pale yellow, cup-shaped flowers are tinged red and produced in clusters in mid-spring. The flowers are followed by small, glossy red berries with a cylindrical shape. The foliage turns vivid shades of red and orange in autumn before falling. The Blooms are attractive to bees.
Flower:
Small, pale yellow, cup-shaped flowers are tinged with red. The blooms are produced in umbel-like clusters in April and are followed by glossy red, cylindrical berries that are retained on the plant into winter.
Flower colour: Yellow
Flower shape: Cup-shaped flowers in clusters
Flowering time: April
Foliage:
The foliage emerges bright yellow in spring before gradually fading to yellow-green with age. The leaves are small, obovate to spathulate in shape and are held in clusters on the spiny branches. The leaves turn vivid shades of orange and red in autumn before falling.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Obovate to spathulate
Autumn Colour: Red, orange
Propagation:
Cuttings.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun to partial shade in fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained.