Ornamental shrub barberry: how to plant and care, which varieties to choose

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Vladimir 03/16/2020

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Barberry varieties that are unpretentious in care and planting are in great demand among Russian gardeners. Due to the bright colors of the foliage - from green and yellow to purple and red, the shrub looks very picturesque. There are specimens with colored edging, variegated and even speckled.

Botanical description of barberry

An evergreen or deciduous shrub or small tree with ribbed shoots and brownish bark. The alternate leaves grow in bunches of 3-6 on short petioles. They can be:

• ovoid;
• obovate;
• elliptical;
• lanceolate.

Yellow flowers are collected in clusters of 8-10, the fruit is an ellipse-shaped berry up to 13 mm. Small turning products are made from dense hardwood and used in mosaics and inlays. The plant is a good honey plant; the honey is sweetish with a delicate aroma.

Decorative barberry blooms in May, the fruits ripen in September, and can have a sweet or tart sour taste.

The plant blooms with small yellow flowers Source photosight.ru

Barberry Thunberg Red Carpet

Barberry Red Carpet is a real fireworks of colors. There is a whole palette of colors here at once: from delicate spring greens to autumn gold and scarlet berry shades. Spreading curved branches take up a lot of space and are strewn with thorns, so it is better to plant Red Carpet away from paths. The bush is frost-resistant, but does not tolerate waterlogging and prefers alkaline soils.

Of course, it is difficult to single out the most beautiful varieties among barberries, because each of them is good in its own way. If you also love these bright, attractive shrubs, share with us photographs and names of your “favorites”.

Beneficial features

All parts of the plant contain vitamins, microelements, organic acids, tannins and pectin. Berries contribute to:

strengthening the walls of blood vessels;

normalization of pressure;

outflow of bile;

blood purification.

In addition, they compensate for the lack of vitamins, increase immunity, and have a diuretic and diaphoretic effect.

Healthy berries Source static.ogorodniki.com

Characteristics of the shrub

In the wild, barberry is distributed in different regions of Europe and Asia. Most often it grows in ravines, along river banks and in mountainous areas. According to scientists, in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet alone there are about 170 species of this prickly plant. Some of them were cultivated and became widespread in garden plots. Among them is Thunberg's barberry.

Barberry is a deciduous shrub. The plants have leathery leaves that grow in tufts. The bush has fairly powerful thorns that can easily injure you. Interestingly, barberry spines are modified leaves. They were formed after only one midrib remained from the latter. The flowers of the plant are small in size, but have a very pleasant smell. Their colors are varied - yellow-golden, orange or red. The flowers are arranged in tassels, but sometimes single inflorescences are also found.

Most often, the thorny bush is low - up to two, maximum three meters. There are a huge number of cultivated varieties. They can be both tall and completely dwarf - up to 30 centimeters. The latter are used in landscape design. Barberry blooms depending on the weather conditions of a particular region. In central Russia, its flowering occurs at the beginning or mid-May. Barberry is also valued by gardeners for its beauty. Its leaves change color at different times of the year. The shrub looks most beautiful in autumn, when it is decorated with purple leaves and bright red clusters of berries.

Types and varieties of barberry

Depending on the variety, plants differ in size, yield, shape and taste of fruits, and type of leaves. The most popular types of decorative barberry are:

• Ordinary . Shrub up to 2 m high, drought-resistant, light-loving, thrives in loose, well-drained soils. It looks impressive both as a tapeworm and in group plantings. The sweet and sour fruits are used in pilaf, compotes and marinades. The foliage is green in summer and turns purple in autumn.

Barberry Ordinary Source i0.wp.com

• Thunberg . Shrub up to 250 cm in height with bright red ribbed shoots. The leaves are oval, slightly pointed up to 2 cm long, bluish below, green above, turning red in autumn. The flowers are yellow, the berries are red, in the shape of an ellipse - up to 10 mm. Flowering in May, fruits ripen at the end of September.

Barberry Thunberg bronze gold Source agro-ra.ru

• Thunberg Golden Ring . The purple leaves have a yellow edge, the flowers are red-yellow, bloom in May, the fruits ripen in October, the berries are red and shiny. The height and diameter of the bush is 2-3 m.

Barberry Thunberg Golden Ring Source nasotke.ru

• Thunberg Aurea . A low plant (80 cm) with a crown diameter of 1 m with yellow ovate leaves, red-yellow flowers and burgundy berries.

Thunberg Aurea Source agro-ra.ru

• Thunberga Atropurpurea Nana . Low-growing bush (60 cm) with purple leaves, red-yellow flowers and bright red berries.

Thunberg Atropurpurea Nana Source cstor.nn2.ru

• Thunberg Pink Queen. Pink foliage on red shoots is a magnificent sight. The height of the bush is 150 cm, diameter 200 cm. The flowers are yellow, the fruits are shiny red.

Thunberg Pink Queen Source bogront.se
Thunberg Smaragd . Shoots with numerous thorns first grow vertically, gradually forming a wide pyramidal crown; the fruits are red, ripen in October and do not fall off for a long time.

Barberry Thunberg Smaragd on the site Source rastenia-biolit.ru

• Ottawa . The Ottawa barberry was developed in Ottawa, Canada by crossing the common barberry and Thunberg in the late 19th century. The deciduous bush is quite popular in cultivation because it is characterized by winter hardiness, unpretentiousness and growth rate. It has soft spines and obovate leaves up to 33 mm. Depending on the variety, they turn yellow or red in the fall. It blooms with yellow flowers, 5-10 flowers in a raceme. The fruits are red.

Ottawa barberry Source images.ru.prom.st

• Ottawa Auricoma . A spreading bush up to 250 cm high with arched branches and large rounded leaves up to 5 cm. Young shoots are dark red, turning orange or light red in autumn. Yellow-red flowers appear in May, berries are 8 mm long and ripen in early October. The growth of the plant is 22 cm per year. Grows in sun or partial shade in moderately moist soil.

Ottawa Auricom Source go2outback.ru

• Ottawa Superba . Large deciduous bush up to 3-4 m in height. The shiny burgundy leaves retain their decorative value throughout the entire growing season, both in the sun and in the shade. The yellow-red flowers are grouped in clusters of 8-10 pieces with a sweetish aroma. The fruits are scarlet in color, after the first frost they become sweet and do not fall off.

Ottawa Superba Source energysad.ru

• Orpheus . A small bush (120 cm) with a compact crown, shoots do not fall apart, densely covered with light green leaves, thorns 10 mm. It has no flowers or fruits.

Barberry Amur Orpheus Source www.mirlandshaft.ru
Boxwood Nana . An evergreen variety with a height of only 35-40 cm, the foliage is emerald green in summer and red in autumn. The flowers are yellow solitary, the fruits are red with a bluish coating.

Boxleaf barberry Nana Source www.baumschule-horstmann.de

See also: Catalog of house projects with terraces and verandas.

There are more than 170 varieties of decorative barberry.

Yellow barberry foliage Source www.familyhandyman.com

Barberry care

Growing conditions

Even a novice gardener can plant and care for barberry, and it doesn’t really matter what species it belongs to, since planting and caring for Thunberg barberry, for example, which is a purely decorative species due to its too bitter fruits, is not much different from caring for for species bearing edible berries. So, once you have learned the instructions for caring for barberry, you can grow barberry in the garden of various varieties, types and shapes.

The list of necessary work for caring for barberry includes timely watering, weeding, loosening the soil on the site, pruning and fertilizing.

There is no need to water barberry when there is a normal amount of precipitation, and only in extreme heat and drought, the soil in the area with barberry still needs to be moistened weekly - with cool water at the root, trying not to get on the leaves. Newly planted bushes are watered with the same regularity until they take root. What is more dangerous for barberry is not dryness, but frequent and heavy rains, due to which moisture can accumulate in the roots, which the plant fears much more than drought.

Promptly remove weeds from the area, as well as root shoots that grow abundantly around barberry bushes, and do not forget to loosen the soil. To make caring for barberry easier, mulch the area with peat, sawdust or walnut shells.

Fertilizer

Fertilizers added to the soil when planting will last the barberry for a year. Next spring, each barberry bush is fed with nitrogen fertilizer in the form of a solution of 20-30 g of urea in a bucket of water. From now on, it will be enough to apply nitrogen fertilizers once every three to four years, but if you grow barberry for its healthy edible berries, then after flowering and at the end of the season you need to feed the bush with phosphorus and potassium - 10 g of potassium fertilizer and 15 g each superphosphate for each bush.

The optimal complex fertilizer for barberry is the Kemira-universal solution, which is applied in early July at the rate of 15 g per bucket of water.

Trimming

Like other garden shrubs, when pruning barberry, weak, dry shoots that thicken the bush are removed. The first pruning of decorative barberry species is carried out in the spring on a one-year-old bush, shortening the shoots by half or even two-thirds; then the bush is pruned twice a year - in the first half of June and in early August. In addition to its sanitary function, pruning also has a formative meaning. Low-growing varieties and types of barberry do not need to be cut.

Pests and diseases

Among the harmful insects, the plant can be affected by barberry aphids, barberry sawflies and flower moths. The appearance of aphids is detected by wrinkling and drying of the leaves, and the moth is more dangerous for barberries with edible berries, since it eats away the fruits. Aphids can be fought with a solution of laundry soap (300 g of soap per 10 liters of water), and moths, like sawfly caterpillars, are poisoned with a one to three percent solution of Chlorophos.

Among the diseases, barberries most often suffer from fungal diseases, including powdery mildew, rust, bacteriosis, leaf spot and wilt.

Powdery mildew looks like a white loose coating covering the leaves, shoots and fruits of barberry. By autumn, cleistothecia form on the affected areas, in which the fungus survives the winter. Powdery mildew can be destroyed by treating the plant with a one percent solution of colloidal sulfur; severely affected parts of the plant must be removed and burned.

• Tigridia: cultivation and care in the garden, types and varieties

Rust usually appears on barberries growing near fields with cereals, and looks like bright orange spots on the upper side of the leaf blade, and on the underside it appears as convex red pads. If the infection is severe, the barberry leaves begin to dry out and fall off. You can eliminate the problem by treating barberry three times with one percent solutions of colloidal sulfur or Bordeaux mixture, starting immediately after the leaves bloom and every three weeks.

Barberry can be eliminated from spots that disfigure leaves with spots of various shapes by treating with copper oxychloride, diluted in an amount of 30-40 g in 10 liters of water, applied before and after flowering.

Wilting causes premature lethargy and drying out of the leaves and shoots of barberry, gradually spreading from one side of the bush to the entire plant. Timely removal of diseased shoots can prevent the disease from spreading to the entire bush. If the disease is detected in a timely manner, treating the bush with Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride helps cure the plant. As a preventive measure, spring treatment of barberry with Bordeaux mixture is used.

Bacteriosis is a bacterial cancer that manifests itself on barberry with cracks, tumors and growth. If the tip of the shoot is affected by bacteriosis, this is not so bad - remove the affected part of the shoot, capturing healthy tissue. But if cancer affects the shoot in its lower part adjacent to the trunk, the entire plant is doomed. Remove diseased areas of barberry, be sure to burn them, and treat the bush itself with Bordeaux mixture or other copper-containing preparation.

Planting and care

Barberry seedlings can be planted in the ground in spring or autumn, and with closed roots (with a lump of earth) - in summer. Planting and caring for decorative barberry is not particularly difficult and consists of the following steps:

1. A hole is prepared for the seedling with a reserve depth for drainage.
2. Place broken bricks, gravel or pebbles at the bottom.
3. Then add fertile soil and water well.
4. Place the plant in a hole, straighten the roots and cover it with the same soil mixture.
5. Compact so that the root collar is buried 3 cm.
6. Water the soil generously and mulch with last year's sawdust or chopped straw.

If there are a lot of decorative barberry seedlings, then instead of holes you can dig a trench, for example, when planting a hedge.
The soil should have an acidity of 4 to 7, groundwater should be deep. It should also be taken into account that decorative barberry is a light-loving shrub and the foliage will be brighter and the berries will be sweeter in the sun. For planting, it is better to choose a place sheltered from the wind, sandy or loamy soils. It is better to place perennial plants nearby so as not to damage the surface roots of the bush by frequent loosening of vegetables.

Planting barberry Source sovetclub.ru

It cannot be planted next to white acacia, poplar, walnut, cherry, or elderberry. With proper planting and care of the shrub, decorative barberry will delight owners with bright colors from early spring until the coldest weather.

Features of planting in different parts of the country

Amazing winter spectacle

When choosing a suitable variety, they are guided by the weather conditions of the region and the characteristics of the plant’s resistance to them.

1 The mild winters of the Mediterranean, southern regions of the Caucasus and the Black Sea coast make it possible to grow almost any type of barberry. The warm climate promotes favorable growth, abundant flowering and fruiting.

2 The temperate continental climate of the central part of Russia is characterized by hot summers and mild winters with temperatures down to -20-25°C. It is better to wrap the barberry for the winter, and in the summer do not forget to water it when there is no rain.

3 In areas with a high content of groundwater in the soil , which includes the Moscow region, when planting, do not forget about the drainage layer. Its height should be 1/3 of the depth of the planting hole.

4 Frost-resistant barberry varieties take root well in the Urals and Siberia Young plants here are necessarily covered with spruce branches and covered with snow. For those less resistant to the cold, a greenhouse is built.

Reproduction methods

Reproduction of decorative barberry is possible by cuttings, seeds, root shoots and dividing the bush. All methods have their downsides:

• cuttings root very slowly, especially in the coin type;
• low seed germination (only 25-35%), while maternal characteristics may not be preserved;
• root shoots do not come in all varieties;
• When dividing a bush, there is a high probability of damage to the mother plant.

Rooted cuttings of Thunberg Aurea Source m.nn.ru

Propagation by seeds

The seeds of the ripest, largest and most beautiful berries should be removed, filled with water and allowed to ferment for 2-3 days. Then rinse with a solution of raspberry potassium permanganate and dry. In autumn, in loose soil, cleared of weeds, make furrows to a depth of 3 cm, spread out the seeds, sprinkle with soil and compact well. Shoots will appear in the spring.

Seeds are taken from the most beautiful and ripe berries Source dymdacha.ru

If you plan to plant in spring, you should store the seeds in the refrigerator, mixing them with sand. A month before planting, periodically moisten the sand so that the seeds undergo stratification, and they should be planted as soon as the soil allows. The seedlings should be thinned out, leaving strong seedlings, and after 1 year, the seedlings should be planted in a permanent place. The fruiting period for barberry will begin in another 2 years. The shrub can also reproduce by self-sowing.

Shoots after sowing seeds Source otvet.imgsmail.ru

Propagation by cuttings

This method is as follows:

• first, in June, cuttings 14 cm long are cut from the shoots;
• remove the lower leaves, dip the bases in a growth stimulator solution;
• plant the cuttings in peat with sand, water and cover with jars, plastic bottles with the bottom cut off or film, and ventilate periodically;
• When the planting material takes root and begins to grow, it should be planted in containers with fertilized soil.

After a year, the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place.

Propagation by cuttings Source vosaduly.ru

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in landscape design and gardening, as well as garden furniture.

Reproduction by layering and dividing the bush

For this method, several annual shoots are placed in furrows in the spring, secured with wire and dug in, leaving the tops outside. The soil is kept moist and free from weeds. By autumn, roots will form, then you should separate the shoots from the mother plant with pruners and plant them in a permanent place.

To divide a bush, it should be dug up, cleared of soil, the roots cut into pieces, planted in prepared holes, and watered.

Where does it grow

The geographic ranges of the common barberry are located in Western Asia, Transcaucasia, and many European countries, with the exception of the northern part of the continent. The shrub also grows in Russia. Mainly in the forest-steppes of the North Caucasus. Under natural conditions, it can be found on the slopes of ravines, in river valleys, on rocky lands and forest edges.

Today, many gardeners grow ordinary barberry on their site, independently creating favorable conditions for it. The plant prefers dry and bright places, while it is quite unpretentious in choosing soil. However, for proper development, it is recommended to plant it in soil that is neutral in acidity.

How to make a hedge from barberry

Barberry is the best choice for planting a hedge, because it has thorns, can be cut, smells pleasant, and is beautiful in spring, summer, and autumn. Bushes for hedges are planted in a checkerboard pattern every 25-30 cm.

To do this, dig a trench 40 cm deep, add drainage and fertile fertilized soil, plant bushes, water and mulch. For a freer shape, seedlings are placed in groups of 2. per weather meter. As barberry grows, it forms a dense fence that will have to be formed. Before the buds open, all shoots are shortened by a third, and broken and frozen branches are removed.

Barberry grows beautifully Source remonty-net.ru

The advantages of a barberry hedge include:

1. Rapid growth - in 2 years you get a dense, impenetrable fence with thorns.
2. Durability – will last 7-10 times longer than wooden fences.
3. Cheap compared to corrugated sheets and chain-link mesh.
4. Easy care - just trim 1-2 times per season.
5. Beauty can be green, yellow, red, colorful, etc.

Such a fence will not clog the area, since the roots are not creeping, and self-seeding is easily weeded out.

Young plants should be loosened periodically to remove weeds. Water once every 2 weeks. Fertilizing is carried out 2 times during the growing season with complex mineral fertilizers for ornamental shrubs.

A hedge is a reliable protection against uninvited guests Source static-eu.insales.ru

Barberry varieties for hedges

When zoning a site, designers recommend low, compact shrubs with reddish shades and periodic pruning. When planning plantings, you need to take into account all the options so that you do not have to replant the plants, since they are injured when moving. You should also provide approaches to the fence on both sides to make it easier to care for.

Tall shrubs are best suited for fencing:

1. Common barberry quickly grows up to 250-300 cm, the bushes have a rounded crown, elegant decorative properties - Atropurpurea with red foliage, Albo-variegata - with variegated foliage.
2. Amur barberry. The height of the bushes is up to 350 cm, resistant to frost, heat, and drought. Red foliage and berries in the fall seem to burn with fire. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties.
3. Barberry Thunberg. Orange young shoots deviate, reaching a height of 250 cm.
4. Barberry Ottawa. The height of the fence will be 200 cm. The main difference is the presence of a few soft thorns.

In addition, there are several dwarf species: carmine-red ball Bagatelle up to 40 cm, lemon-golden BonanzaGold, purple, green Kobold (up to 50 cm), almost thornless Atropurpurea.

Recommendations for breeding indoor varieties

At home, low-growing varieties of the Thunberg species grow best. They respond well to frequent decorative pruning, so such plants look aesthetically pleasing and elegant.

Miniature variety Bagatelle

The following varieties are perfect for the home:

• Natasha . Variegated foliage with tints of white, pink and green looks unusual on pinkish branches. An unpretentious plant that grows slowly.
• Erecta . The leaves are regularly rounded and green in color. The bush is decorated by an even, columnar crown that does not grow higher than 80 cm.
• Bagatelle. Dense, spherical shrub with bright purple leaves edged with green. The height of an adult plant does not exceed 30 cm.

For indoor barberries you should choose universal soil . Don't forget to put drainage on the bottom. Watering is done twice a week in summer, autumn and spring, and once in winter.

Spray regularly with water, excluding the flowering period. The pot is placed on the sunny side, with a constant flow of fresh air.

Barberry in landscape design

The plant plays an important role in garden design, as it meets most of the requirements of the creators of landscape ensembles. Low-maintenance and not picky about soils, it is quite decorative, especially varieties bred recently. The variety of shapes and colors of barberry, together with useful fruits, allows barberry to participate in various landscape compositions of flowers, shrubs or trees.

Any garden landscape with this plant is enlivened thanks to its all-season decorative effect. Barberry is used in landscape design as follows:

1. More often it is planted to divide it into zones or along the perimeter of the site.
2. Low-growing species are used along paths and paths in the form of borders.
3. Barberry with leaves of red shades is planted for contrast.
4. Used in rock gardens, rose gardens, flower beds, mixborders.
5. A plant with unusual foliage colors is planted as a tapeworm on the shore of a pond or as a bright spot on the greenery of the lawn.
6. Barberry looks good as an edge for a group of long trees of deciduous and coniferous species.
7. On reliefs of different heights, plants are placed to strengthen the slopes, since the root system is quite powerful.

Barberries look beautiful in a rock garden Source landplant.ru
In rock gardens, barberries with a round crown or cushion-shaped ones look good. Because of the thorns, the plants are not placed near children's playgrounds.

The following crops are best suited for barberry:

• roses, asters, chrysanthemums;
• conifers, junipers, thujas;
• flowering shrubs;
• low flowers in alpine hills;
• tall trees in the form of padding.

Breeders continue to work on developing new varieties of barberries, experimenting with original foliage colors.

Halo of growth

The plant is a typical inhabitant of almost the entire territory of the Northern Hemisphere, with the exception of permafrost latitudes. For decorative and cultural purposes, it is bred in Europe, the Far East, China, Japan, Central Asia, North America, the Caucasus, Persia, Siberia, and Crimea.

The shrub tolerates temperature changes typical of a temperate continental climate. Some varieties are insulated for the winter, others are quite frost-resistant. Heat is also not a big problem for barberry.

Luxurious palette of plant shades

Grows in any soil, even with a composition poor in nutrients. The small root system allows the tree to easily get along with other vegetation.

The main requirement for environmental conditions is the absence of stagnation of moisture in the roots and a sufficient amount of light.

Barberry tolerates drought much better than excess water. It is able to grow in the shade, but in this case the color of the foliage will not be bright and saturated. Fruiting will also not be abundant.

Video description

More information about powdery mildew can be seen in the video:

Rust on barberry

The disease manifests itself as bright orange spots on the leaf blades on the outside. On the inside, fungal spores appear in the form of yellow dots. The fight against the disease should begin immediately. To do this, tear off all the affected leaves and burn them, treat the dormant buds with fungicides. Rust develops more often with a lack of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers, on weakened plants.

Barberry Thunberg Coronita (Coronita)

The bush of this variety grows quickly and a few years after planting reaches one and a half meters in height and a meter in width. However, active growth stops here, and even with the most successful agricultural technology, Koronit will not become a giant. The leaves on young branches of the bush are bright red, and on the shoots of previous years they are dark purple. The characteristic border is preserved in both cases.

The name barberry has Arabic roots and means “like a sea shell.” This epithet was awarded to the petals of the barberry flower, and then to the bush itself.

Video description

About rust on plants is presented in the video:

Tracheomycosis wilt

One of the most common diseases of barberry, which is caused by various pathogens contained in the soil and on plant debris. By infecting the roots, the fungus prevents the penetration of food and the barberry, starting from the tops, turns yellow, turns brown and dries out. The cut shows inclusions of white-pink mycelium with fusarium and gray cobwebby with verticillium.

To combat these diseases, you should water the soil under barberry with phytosporin, alirin-B or gamair.

Species diversity of barberries

Many of us remember those same “Barberry” candies, syrups and lemonades that were so popular during the Soviet era. All these products were made from the berries of edible barberry species. Now many gardeners grow this unpretentious plant on their plots. However, not all species take root in our latitudes, but only those that have managed to adapt to a temperate climate.

Bright barberry berries are hard to miss among garden greenery

The barberry genus includes many species, including both evergreen and deciduous plants. A common feature of these shrubs is the presence of thorns - single, double, triple, and sometimes even five pieces together. They are located at the base of the kidneys and can be very hard or soft, almost invisible.

Barberry bushes bloom from late May to early July. The flowers are yellow and small. The berries are light or dark red, sometimes black, with a pronounced sour taste, but quite edible.

Barberry plantings look very decorative throughout the season. Deciduous species are a real decoration of the autumn garden due to the bright color of the leaves and berries.

Barberry bushes decorate the garden throughout the season

Next we will look in more detail at the most popular varieties of barberry.

Video description

How to deal with plant fusarium is described in the video:

Drying of shoots

The fungal disease manifests itself as necrosis of the bark in individual brown areas that begin to dry out. Control measures include removing dry branches and spraying with preparations containing copper.

Barberry aphid

Small sucking insects, 2 mm in size, yellow-red in color, live on the underside of barberry leaf blades. The leaves gradually dry out and fall off. To combat the pest, fitoverm, spark, actara, and inta-vir are used.

For prevention you should:

• avoid drying out the soil;
• apply mineral fertilizers;
• carry out sanitary pruning.

And also inspect the bushes and take action if diseases or pests are detected.

Disease and pest control

The “Achilles heel” of barberry is all kinds of diseases and pests. When infected, the decorative quality of the bush sharply decreases, its growth stops, and fruiting stops. Therefore, plants should be regularly inspected for suspicious symptoms. If the disease goes too far, the bush will have to be thrown away, thus eliminating the source of infection.

Powdery mildew

A whitish powder appears on the foliage, similar to spilled flour. The leaves curl up, dry out, and fall off. If nothing is done, the bush will become covered with a thick layer of white plaque.

Powdery mildew seems like a harmless coating that can be easily wiped off, but in fact it is a dangerous disease.

For prevention, the plant is sprayed with a solution of colloidal sulfur, soda ash or foam of laundry or green potassium soap every 10–12 days. Water for irrigation is replaced once a month with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. Having detected symptoms, use the drugs Fitosporin, Vectra, Skor 2-3 times with an interval of 5-8 days. The use of chemicals is not allowed during flowering and at least 20 days before harvest.

Rust

A yellowish-orange “hairy” coating appears on the underside of the leaf in the form of separate spots. Gradually they thicken, grow and darken, changing color to rusty. Their surface is covered with whitish tubercles, where fungal spores are concentrated.

Barberry rust spreads especially quickly when plantings are thickened

For prevention, bushes are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate in early spring and after harvesting. When the disease develops, Horus, HOM, Abiga-Pik, Kuprozan are used (2-3 times with an interval of 10-12 days).

Leaf spot

Caused by various fungi. Depending on the specific species, whitish, grayish, pinkish, brown or black spots appear on the leaves. They grow quickly, the affected leaves dry out and fall off. To avoid infection, plants are dusted with sifted wood ash, crushed chalk, and colloidal sulfur once every 2–3 weeks. To treat barberry, the same fungicides are used as to fight rust.

Cortical necrosis

The bark turns black, as if burned, and cracks. Small grayish-brown tubercles containing fungal spores appear in the cracks.

Barberry affected by necrosis seems to have been on fire

At the first signs of the disease, all shoots, even minimally affected ones, must be pruned, capturing 10–12 cm of tissue that appears healthy. Wounds are disinfected by washing with a 2% solution of copper sulfate or rubbing with a paste of sorrel leaves. Then they are covered with garden varnish or covered with oil paint in 2–3 layers.

Bacteriosis

Leaves and branches become covered with black watery spots. Then the leaves quickly dry out, the bark moves away from the shoots, forming “bubbles”. There are currently no treatments for this bacterial disease; for prevention, the plant is sprayed with a solution of any fungicide in spring and autumn. In the early stages, radical pruning can help - remove all parts of the plant that show even minimal damage.

It is impossible to cure barberry from bacteriosis with modern means.

Aphid

Aphids are small brownish insects that cling to young leaves, shoot tips, inflorescences and fruit ovaries. The affected parts of the plant become discolored, dry out and die.

Aphids stick to leaves and shoots, sucking out the juice

Any infusion with a pungent odor effectively repels aphids. As raw materials you can use, for example, onions, garlic, tomato tops, marigolds, wormwood, orange peel, mustard powder. Plants are sprayed once a week; when the first pests are detected, the frequency of treatments is increased to 3-4 times a day.

If this does not help, use any general-action insecticides - Inta-Vir, Mospilan, Molniya, Fury, Commander will do. Usually 2-3 treatments are enough with an interval of 6-8 days.

Spider mite

The leaves and tips of the shoots, inflorescences are intertwined with thin, almost transparent threads, similar to a cobweb. Parts of the plant quickly become deformed and dry out. It is quite difficult to see the pests themselves with the naked eye.

Cobwebs on a plant are a visible sign of the presence of spider mites.

For prevention, barberry is sprayed with infusion of onion or garlic pulp, cyclamen tubers, and 30% alcohol once every 10–12 days. If infection cannot be avoided, folk remedies will not help. It is necessary to use special preparations - acaricides (Neoron, Apollo, Sunmite, Vertimek). It will take 3-4 treatments at intervals of 5-12 days. The hotter it is outside, the more often the bush is sprayed.

Moth caterpillars

Pests feed on green plants. In a matter of days, they are able to completely devour a bush, leaving only leaf veins and bare shoots.

The main damage to barberry bushes is caused not by adults, but by moth caterpillars

For prevention, barberry is sprayed with a solution of Chlorophos, Karbofos, Nitrafen in mid-spring. During the growing season, the bushes are dusted with tobacco dust. Having discovered a pest, Decis, Admiral, Konfidor, Kinmiks are used.

Competent preventive measures will help minimize the risk of developing diseases and pest attacks:

• maintaining the recommended distance between plants when planting;
• ensuring good aeration of the bush to avoid increased humidity;
• moderate watering, preventing the barberry roots from completely drying out;
• regular sanitary pruning;
• cleaning the tree trunk circle from fallen leaves, fallen berries, broken branches, and other plant debris;
• timely application of the necessary fertilizing (this improves the plant’s immunity).

Briefly about the main thing

Barberry is an evergreen shrub with characteristic ovate leaves.

Used in the treatment of heart diseases and improves immunity.

There are various varieties of barberry, the most famous of which are: common barberry, Thunberga, Ottawa.

Varieties of varieties allow them to be used in landscape design as hedges, for decorating rock gardens and rockeries, and for strengthening the soil on slopes.

Barberry is a relatively disease- and pest-resistant shrub.

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Application of fruits, foliage and wood

In addition to its chic appearance, the plant is famous for its dense and textured wood . Some of its types are used in turning, as a material for openwork inlay. The wood of many varieties has a rich red, burgundy, yellow or purple hue, so it is actively used for laying out Indian mosaics.

Souvenirs, crafts, and toys are made from solid trunks . They are used to make shoe nails. And from the yellow bark and rhizomes, natural yellow paint is obtained.

Seasoning made from dried fruits

In Tibet, crushed and dried fruits are added to spicy mixtures. In the east, barberry seasoning is used everywhere. It is added to meat fillings, pilaf, and stewed meat dishes.

Due to the content of malic, tartaric and citric acids in unripe fruits, they make excellent marinade and sour sauces. In confectionery, berries are used to make preserves, jams, marshmallows, marmalade, jellies and mousses. Compotes are made from them and exquisite liqueurs are pressed.

Fresh leaves are used to make sour soups, chop them into salads, and add them to canned food . Valuable and healthy tea with barberry flavor is obtained from dried fruits and herbs. In the cosmetology industry, oil extract from fresh barberry berries is added to creams, lotions for hair and face.

Juliana barberry (Berberis julianae)

The shrub is native to Central China. An evergreen species that freezes to snow in winter, which is why its height does not exceed 50 cm. The leaves are hard, shiny, with narrow, hard teeth along the edge. The flowers are yellow, collected in dense clusters of 15 pieces. The fruits are oblong black berries.

Juliana barberry (Berberis julianae)

Photo of barberry bushes

You can find out what a barberry bush looks like by looking at photos in encyclopedias and on specialized websites on the Internet. The planting height may vary and be about 0.35-0.5 m for dwarf species and up to 4 m for trees.

All parts of the culture have a healing effect on the body:

• anti-inflammatory;
• pain reliever;
• bactericidal;
• reducing temperature;
• antispasmodic, etc.

The following are used in treatment:

• decoctions of roots, leaves, wood, bark;
• juice from berries;
• fresh and frozen berries, etc.

The fruits, ground with sugar, are used to treat colds. When added to the diet, they help improve immunity. The leaves contain vitamins C, E, carotenoids and mineral components.