Plant DetailShow Menu

Berberis verruculosa

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
ber-BER-is ver-ruk-yoo-LO-sah
Description

Evergreen shrub to 6 feet, dense and rounded.This plant is dependable, easy to transplant, tolerates a range of soil types as well as drought and urban conditions, and is seldom damaged by deer. It dislikes wet feet.

Warty Barberry can be used as a specimen, hedge, or barrier plant. This plant is a compact, dense, rounded shrub and can have arching, spreading branches.

Quick ID Hints:

  • Stems covered in tiny wart-like excrescences
  • Leaves on dwarf shoots, 3-parted spines at nodes
  • Leaves green or reddish above,tomentose underneath

Blooms mid-spring; leaves are small and lustrous green above and whitish beneath, and remain green or become purplish green to mahogany in winter. Likely to become weedy if left unpruned. 

Urban tolerant; hardy zones 5-7; intolerant high heat loads; Pest and disease free.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Apricot Queen'
  • 'Compacta'
'Apricot Queen', 'Compacta'
Tags:
#purple#gold#evergreen#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#specimen#shrub#purple leaves#yellow flowers#winter interest#security plant#gold flowers#deer browsing plant#deer resistant#spines#black fruits#fantz#purple fruits#urban conditions tolerant#partial shade tolerant#perennial#hedge
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Apricot Queen'
  • 'Compacta'
'Apricot Queen', 'Compacta'
Tags:
#purple#gold#evergreen#full sun tolerant#drought tolerant#specimen#shrub#purple leaves#yellow flowers#winter interest#security plant#gold flowers#deer browsing plant#deer resistant#spines#black fruits#fantz#purple fruits#urban conditions tolerant#partial shade tolerant#perennial#hedge
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Berberis
    Species:
    verruculosa
    Family:
    Berberidaceae
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Native to China
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    tolerates range of soil types; drought tolerant; seldom damaged by deer; tolerates urban conditions
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Dense
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    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
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Purple/Lavender
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    This plant has 0.3-inch fruit that is violet-black with a bloom, ovoid berry.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    This plant has golden-yellow flowers. 2-5, yellow, 1/2", borne on long pedicels. Inflorescence in subumbellate racemes.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    White
    Leaf Feel:
    Leathery
    Smooth
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Lanceolate
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    This plant has alternate, simple, leathery, and dark green leaves that are 0.5-1.5 inches long. Leaves taper at both ends, and the margins are slightly spiny toothed. They may become purplish-green or mahogany in winter. Elliptic or ovate to ovate-lanceolate, margins remotely spiny-toothed and recurved, glabrous, dark green above, glaucous and tomentose underneath, clustered on dwarf shoots in spine axil.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Rounded, light brown, covered with tiny, dark brown excrescences, imparting a rough texture to bark; spines are slender, 3-parted, less than 1" long.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Barrier
    Border
    Hedge
    Security
    Specimen
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Urban Conditions