What Berberis for a container?

Discussion in 'Container Gardening' started by Deebles, Sep 19, 2021.

  1. Deebles

    Deebles Apprentice Gardener

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2021
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    Ratings:
    +1
    I have a big (50cm diameter at the widest, 50cm high) round pot (picture attached) that I was planning to plant a Berberis in soon. (Partly because we're expecting our first baby, and we're calling them Arlo, which among other things means Berberis, and the pot was a family inheritance so seems suitable). Probably location in the garden would be partial shade. But would a Berberis do well in a container of this size, and what kind of Berberis would do best?
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 19, 2021
  2. Nikolaos

    Nikolaos Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2019
    Messages:
    1,714
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Midlands, UK
    Ratings:
    +4,288
    Perhaps a Berberis darwinii 'Compacta'? Yellow flowers in Spring for a couple of months followed by blue berries in Summer and good for wildlife! Think it might cope fine at the upper end of part shade, say 5-6 hours of sun. Not sure if it'll be suitable for a container that small tho, so I'll wait for more knowledgeable members to chime in. :)

    Berberis darwinii 'Compacta'

    Nick
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
    • Selleri

      Selleri Koala

      Joined:
      Mar 1, 2009
      Messages:
      2,404
      Location:
      North Tyneside
      Ratings:
      +7,559
      Hi @Deebles , welcome to the forum!

      Arlo is a lovely name, and connecting it with a plant in a container inherited from the family sounds somehow very right :).

      Berberis can be deciduous but that's ok, putting up some (solar) fairy lights will make the plant stand out also during the dark nights. (And you'll have something to look at when carrying Young Arlo around in the depths of the night trying to convince them it's sleeptime :heehee: ) Your lovely container has some teal tones on the top that might contrast nicely with a purple leaved (atropurpurea) Berberis.

      Berberis needs strong light to look good, so partial shade is not the best option.

      A 50cm pot will house a shrub of Berberis size for a fair few years and there are many options. Here are some links for inspiration:

      Buy Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' in the UK
      Buy Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea Atropurpurea Nana (Barberry) in the UK
       
    • hailbopp

      hailbopp Gardener

      Joined:
      May 25, 2021
      Messages:
      311
      Location:
      Scotland
      Ratings:
      +650
      I agree with Selleri, Berberis to look their best need quite a bit of sunshine. The bright yellow especially sulks a bit in shade. Red rocket which is superb is again best in full sun but still very nice in a shadier spot but Atropurpurea I have in a shadier part and it does ok.
      Here is 1 of my Red Rockets. Obviously I was taking a photo of the Iris but shows the colour quite well altho it is actually a bit brighter than that and goes absolutely scarlet before dropping it’s leaves.
      139A1A8E-C27F-4CEF-BB3F-ADE838B61DD3.jpeg
       
    • Deebles

      Deebles Apprentice Gardener

      Joined:
      Sep 19, 2021
      Messages:
      2
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +1
      Thank you all for the help!
      Sun can be arranged, as I have a sunny spot in my front garden that may work. The back is sadly North facing.
       
      • Friendly Friendly x 1
      Loading...

      Share This Page

      1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
        By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
        Dismiss Notice