Berberis verruculosa

Berberis verruculosa

Common name: warty barberry

Family: Berberidaceae

Leaf: evergreen, ovate- elliptic, 1.5-2 cm long, leathery, glossy, dark green above small, dark green, with bright, blue-ish-white undersides, the stems having needle- sharp spines

Flowers: small, yellow, solitary, born from in leaf axils in the spring

Fruit: blue-black berries

Habit: evergreen or deciduous shrub; Form: arching stems, mounded

Height: up to 4'; Spread: up to 5'

Culture: Hardy in USDA zones 6-9. Best grown in moist, loamy soils in full sun to part shade. Has good tolerance of dry, lean, shallow and clay, sandy soils. Does not tolerate water-logged soils. Drought tolerant once established. Little pruning recommended as it has a naturally attractive form with arching stems- simply remove any dead stems.

Uses: sole shrub, tall groundcover, dense barrier

Origin: China