Berberis thunbergii Harlequin - Barberry

The Berberis thunbergii Harlequin is a beautifully coloured barberry variety, remarkable for its purple foliage splashed with pink and silver in late spring. Its small purple leaves change colour throughout the season, turning purple again in summer before changing to red-orange in autumn. This very rich and unusual foliage colour beautifully showcases its small orange flowers in spring, followed by bright red berries in late summer. Its modest growth and bushy habit make it particularly interesting when used in a small mixed hedge or in a large pot on the terrace.

The Berberis thunbergii, also known as Japanese barberry, is a bushy shrub from the berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a compact and dense habit and deciduous or semi-evergreen foliage in mild climates.

The Dutch cultivar 'Harlequin', introduced in 1969, reaches a height and spread of 1.20m (3.94 ft) to 1.50m (4.92 ft). The branches of this variety are purplish, semi-arching and semi-erect, with non-aggressive thorns. The foliage is the main asset of this barberry. It consists of small leaves, measuring 1 to 2.5cm (0.4 - 1 in) long and obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). At bud break, they show a pink-purple colour, then as they mature, they variegate with large pink and white-silver spots before turning purple again. In April-May, a few clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on 1-year-old stems. The bell-shaped flowers, 1cm (0.4 in) long, are golden orange streaked with red. They are very nectar-rich and are followed in September-October by small bright red spherical fruits, 6 to 8mm (0.2 - 0.3 in) long, which persist on the branches for part of the winter. The foliage takes on a beautiful reddish-orange colour before falling.

The Thunberg's barberry is a very adaptable shrub in terms of soil, tolerating pruning very well, but preferring sunny exposures. It is a pity to confine it to the role of an anonymous monochrome defensive hedge. Its beautiful foliage, remarkable in cultivars like 'Harlequin', deserves a prime location in front of larger shrubs with pink flowers (Kolkwitzia, Abelia, Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum), red flowers (Japanese quince, roses, Weigela) or even yellow to orange flowers (Kerria japonica, Genista Lena Orange, Honeysuckle Dropmore Scarlett). It can also be paired with the grey foliage of shrubby Artemisia, for example, or with variegated dogwoods. This shrub can also be planted in large rockeries to cover slopes or highlight the edge of a pathway. It also thrives when grown in a large container to adorn the terrace or balcony.