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Meet the Breeder

Dr. Tom Ranney
North Carolina, USA

SUNJOY REALLY RED™

Barberry

Berberis thunbergii

'NCBX3'

PPAF

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The bright red foliage, some leaves edged in chartreuse, on Sunjoy Really Red barberry.

A small rounded barberry shrub with bright red foliage in front of a green shrub in a landscape.

The red foliage of Sunjoy Really Red barberry, showing how it emerges deep red and ages to a true red.

Sunjoy Really Red barberry bush in a landscape with dark red foliage.

Dark red foliage with blooming yellow flowers on Sunjoy Really Red barberry.

Several Sunjoy Really Red barberry bushes with dark red foliage in a landscape.

Deep red color
Compact habit
Deer resistant

Description: Color sells – that’s why you should add Sunjoy Really Red barberry (Berberis thunbergii) to your production. The glossy foliage emerges with the candy-sweet tones of red licorice, and that same bright color persists through the season, even developing an appealing chartreuse ring around the edge in summer. A much brighter and more interesting alternative to the classic 'Crimson Pygmy' from Dr. Tom Ranney and his team at NCSU.

USDA Zone: 4 - 9 (-30°F/-34.4°C)
Exposure: Full sun
Height: 2-3'
Width: 3'
Finish Time: 1 season
Type: Deciduous
Bloom Time: Spring
Flower Color: Yellow
Foliage Color: Red
Liner Sizes: 2 1/4", 4", Quick Turn

General Care

Soil

Any well-drained soil will do; tolerates dry conditions once established.

Pruning

Barberry does not take well to hard pruning. However, it may be trimmed as needed in late spring/early summer. Avoid cutting into thick wood unless you are removing entire branches.

Uses

Mixed borders, hedges, foundation plantings.

Growing Tips

Tolerates urban conditions like parking lots, street plantings.