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Berberis japonica
Also called Barberries
Berberis japonica is an evergreen shrub from Taiwan, grown for its bold pinnate foliage and scented yellow winter flowers. Despite its name it is not native to Japan; it is most often grown in temperate gardens and hedges.
Berberis japonica is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to Taiwan. Despite the name, it is not native to Japan, though it has been known in cultivation there for centuries. The wild origins of this species have long puzzled botanists, but wild plants in Taiwan, previously known under the name Mahonia tikushiensis, appear most similar to the cultivated forms of B. japonica.
The plant is much grown as an ornamental shrub, and for use in landscapes. It is of value for its bold foliage, flowers in flowering season, and as a groundcover landscape shrub. Its spiny foliage invite use in security hedging.
Berberis japonica has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The hybrid between it and Berberis oiwakensis subsp. lomariifolia is also a popular garden plant. Known as Berberis × hortensis, several cultivars have been developed from it, including 'Charity', 'Winter Sun' and 'Lionel Fortescue'. A hybrid with Berberis napaulensis var. napaulensis (M. siamensis), called Mahonia × lindsayae 'Cantab', though less well known, is a useful garden plant and also holds an Award of Garden Merit.
Tree Turmeric · American barberry · Darwin's Barberry · Berberis empetrifolia · Colorado barberry · Berberis ×hortensis · Berberis ilicifolia · Wintergreen barberry · Berberis laurina · Boxthorn Barberry · Berberis temolaica · Japanese barberry
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Berberis japonica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
