Wintergreen Barberry Berberis julianae
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- BER-ber-is joo-lee-AN-eye
- Description
-
Wintergreen barberry is a very cold-hardy evergreen barberry in the Berberidaceae family native to central China that is fast-growing and can form thickets. In 1900, it was introduced into cultivation in the United Kingdom and has since escaped cultivation, becoming invasive in several eastern states. The specific epitaph was named by Camillo (Karl) Schneider after his wife.
The shrub grows 6 to 10 feet tall and prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils in full sun to partial shade. It is drought, deer and urban tolerant. Prune as needed to shape. Propagation is by stem cuttings and seed.
In spring, the fragrant yellow flowers appear in clusters and are followed by purplish-black berries. The large leaves are spiny and the branches are armed with three large spines at the nodes. They may have some bronze fall color.
This shrub is often used as a barrier due to the large spines. Please consider native shrubs and see some alternatives listed to the left.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves evergreen and in clusters on short shoots
- Leaves coriaceous, concolorous and sharply serrate
- Stems with 3 spines at each node
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Compactum'
Compact to 5 feet tall - 'Nana'
Compact rounded 3 to 4 feet tall - 'Spring Glory'
New growth is tinted red
- 'Compactum'
- 'Compactum', 'Nana', 'Spring Glory'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Compactum'
Compact to 5 feet tall - 'Nana'
Compact rounded 3 to 4 feet tall - 'Spring Glory'
New growth is tinted red
- 'Compactum'
- 'Compactum', 'Nana', 'Spring Glory'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Berberis
- Species:
- julianae
- Family:
- Berberidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central China
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Drought tolerant, deer damage, salt tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Mounding
- Open
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
- Appendage:
- Spines
-
-
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
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- .3-in., oval, bluish-black fruit that persists into fall.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small, yellow, fragrant flowers in spring in clusters of up to 25. Flowers may be red-tinted and are on long petioles.
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-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- This plant has alternate, simple, lustrous, and dark green leaves. They are 2-3" long, spiny, and serrated with a copper fall color. Narrow-elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate, clustered on dwarf shoots in spine axil, coriaceous, concolorous above and beneath. There are multiple leaves (3-5) per node.
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Bark Description:
- Yellow-brown bark
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Angular, yellowish when young, yellow-gray or yellow-brown 2nd year, bearing 3-parted spines.
-
-
Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Problem for Children
- Spines/Thorns
- Weedy
