Berberis thunbergii Golden Carpet - Barberry

Berberis thunbergii 'Golden Carpet', as its name suggests, is a lovely form of Japanese barberry, with yellow foliage and an almost prostrate habit. Naturally very low, its spreading branches are covered with small bright leaves which turn orange at the end of the season, and a few small red fruits. Planted in groups of 3, it forms an excellent ground cover in the foreground of a mass of shrubs with darker foliage. It also does very well in pot cultivation to decorate the terrace or balcony, without requiring much care.

The Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese Barberry, is a shrub of the berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading and low habit, and deciduous foliage, semi-evergreen in mild climates. The cultivar 'Golden Carpet', introduced in 2006 in the USA, stands out for its particularly wide and low habit, as well as its yellow-golden foliage.

This deciduous shrub reaches 50cm (19.7in) in height and 90cm (35.4in) in width at maturity. The almost horizontal branches bear mildly aggressive thorns. The sparse flowering takes place in April-May, in the form of clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers. These bell-shaped flowers are 1cm (0.4in) long and pale yellow, tinged with red on the previous year's shoots. These are nectar-rich flowers, appreciated by pollinating insects. They are followed in September-October by small, very vibrant spherical red fruits which measure from 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3in) long and persist through part of the winter. The foliage of this Barberry is composed of yellow leaves that turn slightly greener in summer before turning orange in autumn. These leaves are 1 to 3cm (0.4 - 1.2in) long and obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part).

'Golden Carpet' Barberry forms a good ground cover from spring to autumn, but its deciduous foliage is best associated with evergreen shrubs such as boxwood or Lonicera nitida. Perfectly resistant to cold, it also tolerates limestone and fairly mediocre soils. Combine it with the purple foliage of Physocarpus or variegated or bronze and yellow grasses like carex, for contrast in form and colour. Its deterrent thorns also allow it to be used in the front row of a defensive hedge, associated with European gorse (Ulex parviflorus), Japanese quinces, holly, and rugosa roses. This small Berberis also fits well in rock gardens, on a slope, in a colourful checkerboard with 'Fire Power' Nandina, shrubby artemisias, and Juniperus x media 'Old gold' in small touches.