Berberis thunbergii

Berberis thunbergii - Japanese Barberry

General:
The japanese barberry is a medium-tall, multi-shoot shrub that occurs naturally in China and Japan. It was brought to Europe by the botanist Carl Peter Thunberg in the 18th century. The japanese barberry is a maximum of 3 meters high and usually just as wide. The leaves are fresh green, small and have a splendid autumn color. The flowers are yellow and reddish in clusters and coral-red, elliptical fruits are formed that still hang on the plant in winter. The barberry is very robust, tolerates pruning and is frost hardy.

Care as a bonsai:
As a bonsai, the japanese barberry is particularly suitable because of its dense branching, the small leaves, the flowers, the fruits and the autumn color. The topiary and repotting is done in the spring before the leaves emerge. The maintenance pruning (shortening the fresh shoots) is repeated continuously during the growth period depending on the growth. Wiring the plant is not easy due to the thorns, but it makes sense. The barberry has many fine roots and should be repotted regularly to avoid soil compaction.