Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea

purple Japanese barberry

Eventual height & spread

Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea

purple Japanese barberry

  • 9cm pot
  • £12.99
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 6 × 9cm pots
  • £39.99 £6.67 each
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 12 litre pot | 60 - 80cm tall
  • £69.99
  • available to order from autumn
Delivery options
  • Standard £5.99
  • Next/Named Day £10.99
  • Position: full sun or partial shade
  • Soil: moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: slow to average
  • Flowering period: April to May
  • Hardiness: fully hardy


Red-tinted, pale yellow flowers in mid-spring, followed by glossy, red autumn fruit, and dark rich purple leaves which turn a brilliant shade of red in autumn. This rounded, deciduous shrub makes a great informal hedge or specimen plant for a well-drained, sunny or partly shady site.

To find out more about how to plant a hedge, click here


  • Garden care:
    Plant Berberis in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It copes well with most soil types, including clay, as long as drainage is good. Space plants with their eventual size in mind and water regularly during dry spells until well established.

    For deciduous barberry, cut back robustly, if required, in late winter or early spring to rejuvenate plants or control their size. Easily producing regrowth from older wood, remove any dead, damaged, or congested stems, and thin out what remains to encourage strong new shoots.
    • Humans/Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten

    Goes well with