Warty Barberry Berberis verruculosa
- 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:
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- 'Apricot Queen'
- 'Compacta'
- 'Apricot Queen'
- 'Apricot Queen', 'Compacta'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Apricot Queen'
- 'Compacta'
- 'Apricot Queen'
- 'Apricot Queen', 'Compacta'
- Tags:
-
-
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.
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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
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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:
- 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
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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.
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-
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
