Berberis jamesiana
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- BER-ber-is james-ee-AN-uh
- Description
-
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. Introduced by George Forrest in 1913.
The plant will mature to about 10 feet high and 8 feet wide in an erect irregular form. James barberry prefers full sun and well-drained soil with a pH of 6 to 7, but is very adaptable to various soil types. It is heat, drought and deer tolerant. Prune in late winter to early spring as needed.
Showy yellow flowers appear in spring in long, slender clusters. It has incredibly showy red fruits in 2 to 3-inch strands. Leaves have a red fall color. Received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit in 1925.
Use in groups as a hedge or as a specimen. It is bee and bird friendly.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Leaf spots, rust, powdery mildew, honey fungus, Phytophthora root rot and leaf scorch. Aphids and Berberis sawfly can be problematic.
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:
-
- ‘East Lodge’,
Was given an Award of Merit in 1947. - 'Exuberant'
Bright red berries
- ‘East Lodge’,
- ‘East Lodge’,, 'Exuberant'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘East Lodge’,
Was given an Award of Merit in 1947. - 'Exuberant'
Bright red berries
- ‘East Lodge’,
- ‘East Lodge’,, 'Exuberant'
- Tags:
-
-
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
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- 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 pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 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 Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Tiny yellow flowers in slender racemes of 9 to 20 flowers sometimes to 40 flowers. 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. Red fall color.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Black
- Gray/Silver
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Description:
- Branches are dark gray or purplish black and terete. Young shoots purplish, slightly angled and spiny.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Security
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
- Spines/Thorns
