Green Berberis 30/50cm 2L pot x 50 Berberis thunbergii

Compact Barberry Hedge Plants Description

Berberis thunbergii (Japanese Barberry) is compact and slow growing, so they are ideal for low (ideal at up to 1m) but prickly hedges and are a very good option as an alternative to Box (Buxus sempervirens hedging) - especially if you have Box blight in the garden. You can see more low growing hedging plants in our dedicated section, as well as other alternatives to Box hedging in our Box Hedging Guide.

Berberis thunbergii has green leaves and is deciduous. It boasts yellow flowers in spring and red, jewel like fruits drip from its branches in late autumn. They are tough, easy to grow hedging plants which do well in virtually any soil and situation including coastal, though they do like sun or partial shade. They should be trimmed after flowering. See all of our Berberis options in our ultimate guide to Berberis hedging plants.

For an alternative, slightly taller purple/red leafed prickly hedge, take a look at Berberis Red Leaf, or for a variegated pink/cream leaf, try Berberis Rose Glow. See also our range of evergreen hedging plants, hedges with berries and our hedging with colourful foliage.

Berberis as a species is ideal as an intruder deterrent, being thorny or spiny in nature, whilst also being appealing visually. To see our full range of security hedging species, see our Intruder Proof Hedging page.

Prices shown are the price per plant. Planting distance is very much a matter of choice. For bare roots, 3 plants per metre is adequate, 5 is good, 7 makes a dense hedge quicker. Pot grown plants have recommended densities shown but you can increase or reduce this density dependent on your budget and level of patience. Pot grown plants are available all year round. Bare roots are only available from november to April.

If you would like further advice in order to decide which the right hedge is for you, we'd recommend that you visit our Choosing the Right Species page which has suggestions and alternatives for every wish list, requirement or situation.