A barberry hedge pulsates with life while it acts as a thorn-filled privacy screen to keep uninvited guests away. You can find out here which Berberis varieties perfectly fulfill the task as a hedge plant. This guide is also full of practical tips on how to skillfully plant a sour thorn hedge.
Which barberries are suitable for hedges?
The best barberry hedge varieties are the red hedge barberry 'Atropurpurea' (Berberis thunbergii), the sour thorn (Berberis vulgaris) and the large-leaved barberry (Berberis julianae). These varieties impress with their height, beautiful flowers and ecological advantages.
These varieties form decorative hedges - Top 3
The profile shows that no other woody species has more species than barberries. Of course, not all members of the magnificent flock are suitable for life as part of a hedge. The following overview gives you the top 3 sourthorn varieties with the license for hedge plants:
| Variety name | botanical name | Growth height | Growth width | special features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red barberry, blood barberry 'Atropurpurea' | Berberis thunbergii | 200 to 300 cm | 100 to 200 cm | dark red leaves, valuable bee pasture, bird feeder |
| Sourthorn, common barberry | Berberis vulgaris | 100 to 250 cm | 100 to 150 cm | beautiful autumn colors, bee and butterfly pasture, bird feeder, extra easy to care for |
| Large-leaved barberry | Berberis julianae | 200 to 300 cm | 200 to 300 cm | evergreen, ecologically valuable, easy to cut |
All three premium hedge shrubs are characterized by a lavish display of flowers that shine in May and June. By autumn, the yellow flowers turn into black-blue berries.
Planting instructions – tips & tricks
Soak each barberry thoroughly in water beforehand, regardless of whether it is a bare-root or potted young plant.
- The best planting time is in autumn and spring
- Mark the hedge line with taut cords
- Dig a planting trench along the marking
- Enrich the excavation with half-ripened compost and 100 grams of horn shavings (€52.00 on Amazon) per planting site
- Place bare-rooted or potted barberries in the trench 40 to 50 cm apart
- Fill with enriched soil and step firmly
Water the soil generously and spread a layer of mulch. Finally, cut back all shoots by a third so that the young bushes branch lushly. For beginners in hedge planting, determining the correct planting depth can be a headache. Follow the rule of thumb: don't plant deeper or higher than before. The root disk of container plants should be at ground level. On bare-root barberries, you can determine the previous planting depth by looking at the discoloration on the root collar.
Keep your distance from neighbors
An incorrectly planted barberry hedge can put a serious strain on good relationships with neighbors. Before planting, consult local regulations regarding the distance to be maintained from the neighboring property or road. In Germany, neighboring law is the responsibility of the states and municipalities, so there is no generally applicable requirement.
Tip
Of course you can harvest the numerous berries that your barberry hedge produces at the end of the season. Gardeners with a big heart for their feathered friends leave the fruit on the branches. Sourthorn berries are a valuable source of food for birds well into the winter.
