Berberis jamesiana
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- BUR-bur-is james-ee-AN-uh
- Description
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James Barberry is a deciduous, multi-stemmed flowering shrub in the barberry family native to thickets, forests, forest margins, riversides, and mountain slopes in China and Tibet. The plant will mature to about 10 feet high. It has incredibly showy red fruits in 2 to 3 inch strands and is resistant to damage by deer and drought.
James Barberry prefers full sun and well drained soil, but is very adaptable to various soil types and is heat tolerant. It is an erect, bushy shrub with 2 inch thorns and can function well as a hedge, border, or barrier.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Leaf spots, rust, and leaf scorch from sun/wind. Chlorosis on high pH soils; leaves can look burned but stems will regrow leaves next spring.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Berberis
- Species:
- jamesiana
- Family:
- Berberidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China and South East Tibet
- Edibility:
- Not poisonous, but berries contain berberine that can cause stomach upset, especially with children.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Pink
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Bright red to salmon-pink globose fruits in very showy clusters resemble currents. Berry initially creamy white, finally light red.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Tiny yellow flowers in raceme. Blooms in spring producing 9 to 20-flowered, sometimes to 40-flowered, slender, glabrous. Sepals in 2 whorls; outer sepals oblong-obovate; inner sepals narrowly obovate. Petals obovate or narrowly oblong-elliptic.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Olive green, simple, alternate leaves. Shiny, elliptic or oblong-obovate, 1 to 3 inches long and 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches wide, subleathery, with obviously raised midvein, lateral and reticulate veins conspicuous, margin entire or closely spinulose, apex rounded or retuse.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Black
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Description:
- Branches are dark gray or purplish black and terete.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Security
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
