Berberis thunbergii Tiny Gold - Barberry

The Berberis 'Tiny Gold' is a variety of bush of very small size, with a lovely rounded cushion habit and very bright foliage, whose colour ranges from fresh green to yellow-green. It highlights its yellow flowering with red markings in spring, as well as its small bright red fruits in late summer. This pretty, pleasantly coloured ball is attractive from spring to autumn and looks great in rock gardens and sunny borders, as well as in a pot on the terrace.

The Berberis thunbergii, also called Japanese barberry or Thunberg's barberry, is a hardy, water-efficient plant that tolerates limestone soils. It is a shrub of the berberidaceae family native to Japan. It is characterized by a bushy, spreading and low habit, and deciduous foliage in winter, or nearly evergreen in mild climates.

The 'Tiny Gold' cultivar reaches about 40 cm (15.7 in) in all directions. The short branches of this variety, ranging in colour from beige to light brown, bear mildly aggressive thorns. The foliage is the main asset of this barberry. It consists of glossy leaves, smaller than those of other varieties, measuring 1 to 2 cm (0.8 in) in length, obovate (ovate, with the upper part of the leaf wider than the lower part). They are a slightly acidic green with a hint of yellow. In April-May, clusters of 1 to 6 small flowers bloom on one-year-old stems. The bell-shaped flowers, 1 cm (0.4 in) long, are a soft yellow striped with red. They are very nectar-rich and are followed in September-October by small spherical fruits, 6 to 8 mm (0.3 in) long, which turn red in September-October and persist on the branches throughout part of the winter. The foliage falls in autumn and regrows in spring.

The 'Tiny Gold' barberry is a very accommodating small bush, that tolerates pruning very well but prefers sunny exposures. Its beautiful foliage deserves a prime location in front of larger bushes with pink flowers (Kolkwitza, deutzias, roses), red flowers (Japanese quince, roses, weigelas) or even yellow to orange flowers (Japanese kerria, Lena Orange broom, Dropmore Scarlett honeysuckle). It can also be combined with the gray foliage of shrubby wormwoods, for example. This shrub can also be planted in large rock gardens to cover slopes or highlight the edge of a pathway. It also thrives when grown in a large container to decorate the terrace or balcony.