Family Berberidaceae
Originating from Japan.
Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
- Brilliant golden spires form an eye-catching, dense, upright shrub.
- Red fruits and smouldering colours give this deciduous shrub an autumn fanfare.
- A hardy and easy-to-grow shrub, thriving in any soil in full sun.
Japanese Golden Barberry ‘Maria’ in Your Garden
A small plant that packs a big punch, from a distance or close-up. Its dense cluster of golden spires rises architecturally, dramatised by their strikingly coloured foliage. Berberis thunbergii ‘Maria’ has a visually deep, layered form. Its soft-looking texture, created by multitudes of tiny leaves that cloak its spiky branches.
Hardy in all UK gardens, it reaches 1.5m high and wide in 5–10 years. It is invaluable as a compact, upright golden foliage shrub for architectural accents. Its sensational golden glow in full sun adds to its structural impact in coastal North Norfolk contemporary gardens. It also is ideal for framing paths and vistas in the maritime climates of Suffolk’s gravel, seaside gardens.
Easy to grow, its spring and summer long brilliance ends in a flourish of orange and red. Plant as a backdrop, hedge, repeat at intervals in mixed borders, or as a single specimen in pots. However it is used, it makes stunning contrasts. It has enough fine detail in its tiny leaves and orange-flushed shoots to make fascinating close-up viewing.
Growing Tips for Your Golden Barberry, Berberis ‘Maria’
- Soil and Sun: Plant in any well-drained soil; full sun boosts golden hues.
- Planting: Set in spring or autumn; summer planting requires extra attention to watering. Plunge for 20 minutes to drench the root ball before planting. Do not add compost or improvers to soil.
- Watering: Moderate; tolerates dry spells once established. Water regularly in its first summer while it is rooting out.
- Pruning: Trim in late winter to shape; wear gloves to protect against thorns.
Upright golden foliage shrubs that have ‘Maria’s’ striking qualities and compact habit are hard to find. A set of characteristics possibly found only in dwarf conifers, which have less charm and interest. Its outstanding vertical spires and colour make it an Urban Jungle recommendation for contemporary gardens, rare for a deciduous plant.
Planting Ideas for Berberis thunbergii ‘Maria’, the Japanese Barberry
Plant a visionary vista of vertical delights. Revel in spires, spikes, and columns. An agglomeration of architectural, textural, colourful, and arresting forms sets the stage for softer rounded shapes and contrasting colours.
Add deciduous Liquidambar ‘Slender Silhouette’ and Frangula ‘Ron Williams’ for seasonal interest. Abies pinsapo ‘Fastigiata’, lasiocarpa ‘Mikolas’, Pinus nigra ‘Richard’, and strobus ‘Stowe Pillar’ add evergreen structure alongside Cupressus sempervirens ‘Totem Pole’.
In homage to the summer sky and sunshine, add ‘Maria’ to a sea of blousy, calming blue. Its brilliant colour and form add a subtle lift to the cool hues and soft shapes of flowering herbaceous perennials. Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Salvia ‘Blue Spire’, Nepeta ‘Purrsian Blue’ and ‘Junior Walker’, and Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ make a chilled contrast.
