Barberry 'Royal Burgundy®'
Barberry 'Royal Burgundy®'

Barberry 'Royal Burgundy®'

Willowbrook Nurseries Inc.

$24.99
Title

 A luxurious and regal addition to any landscape, this dwarf shrub is prized for its velvety, deep wine-red foliage that maintains its rich colour even through the heat of summer. The small, oval leaves emerge a bright red in spring before maturing into a sophisticated burgundy, finally igniting into a dramatic reddish-black or fiery dark red in the autumn. Its tidy, mounded habit and thorny, arching stems are further accented by small, sparkling red berries that provide a "jeweled" look well into the winter months.
Size

Size Guide

Visit Us

Delivery

Warranty

Plant Details

Mature Size:

2' H x 3' W

Zone:

4-8

Watering:

Low to Medium

Foliage Type:

Deciduous

Growth Rate:

Slow - Moderate

Light:

Full Sun

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Royal Burgundy Japanese Barberry, Royal Burgundy Barberry

Scientific Name:

Berberis thunbergii 'Gentry' (commonly sold as 'Royal Burgundy®').

Type:

Ornamental Deciduous Shrub

Growth Details:

  • Mature Size: Typically 24 inches tall with a spread of 2 to 3 feet.
  • Growth Habit / Form: Compact, dense, and mounded.
  • Growth Rate: Slow to Medium.
  • Longevity: Can live for approximately 20 years under ideal conditions.

Environmental Needs:

  • Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade.
  • Soil Preferences: Adaptable to most soil types, including sandy or poor soils.
  • Soil Tolerance: Tolerates clay, salt, and various pH levels.
  • Watering: Moderate watering until established; highly drought-tolerant thereafter.

Special Features:

Deer and rabbit resistant. Highly tolerant of urban pollution and environmental salt. Reportedly a sterile cultivar that produces little to no viable seed, reducing invasive potential.
Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

  • Bloom Information: Tiny, inconspicuous yellow flowers in mid-spring.
  • Fall Colour: Outstanding dark reddish-black to deep red.
  • Bark / Fruit: Showy scarlet berries from early fall through winter.

Garden Value:

Exceptional for border edging, rock gardens, mass plantings, or as a "thriller" in large decorative containers. Its dense, thorny nature also makes it an effective low-growing security barrier.

Wildlife & Human Value:

  • Wildlife Value: Attracts pollinators in spring and provides winter food and shelter for birds.
  • Human Value: Adds high-contrast, low-maintenance colour to landscapes and serves as a natural deterrent for foot traffic. 

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

  • Best Time To Plant: Spring or fall.
  • Spacing: 3–4 feet apart to allow for its natural mounding spread.
  • Location Tips: Avoid poorly drained, wet sites where standing water may occur.

Care:

  • Light Requirements: Best in full sun to maintain the deepest foliage colour, though it handles partial shade.
  • Moisture Requirements: Very adaptable; thrives in dry to moist conditions but must have excellent drainage.
  • Maintenance, Fertilization: Requires very little pruning due to its naturally compact habit; prune in late winter or early spring only if needed to remove dieback. Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring before new growth appears.

Tolerances:

Drought, heat, salt, urban pollution, and poor or clay soils.

Tips For Success:

Use thick gloves when handling to protect against sharp thorns. Mulch around the base to retain moisture while the plant is establishing its root system.
Fruit Profile