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Deciduous shrub Barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" of the Barberry family, native to Asia (Japan, China). Grows on rocky areas, mountain slopes. Taken as a basis for hybridization of more than 100 species of cultivars used in landscape design.
Description of barberry Atropurpurea
For the design of the site, a dwarf variety of shrub is used - barberry "Atropurpurea" Nana (shown in the photo). A perennial crop can grow on a site for up to 50 years. An ornamental plant reaches a maximum height of 1.2 meters, a crown diameter of 1.5 m. The slow-growing Thunberg species "Atropurpurea" blooms in May for about 25 days. The fruits of barberry are not eaten, due to the high concentration of alkaloids, their taste is bitter and sour. The culture is frost-resistant, tolerates a decrease in temperature to -200 C, drought-resistant, comfortable in open sunny areas. Shaded areas slow down photosynthesis, and green fragments appear on the leaves.
Description of barberry "Atropurpurea" Nana:
- The spreading crown consists of densely growing branches. Young shoots of Thunberg "Atropurpurea" are dark yellow, as they grow, the shade becomes dark red. The main branches are colored purple with a slight touch of brown.
- The decorativeness of the barberry "Atropurpurea" by Thunberg is given by red leaves; by autumn, the shade changes to carmine brown with a purple tint. Leaves are small (2.5 cm) oblong, narrow at the base, rounded at the top. They do not fall off for a long time, they stick to the bush after the first frosts.
- Blooms profusely, inflorescences or single flowers are located throughout the branch. They are characterized by a double color, burgundy on the outside, yellow on the inside.
- The fruits of "Atropurpurea" Thunberg are dark red in color, have an ellipsoidal shape, the length reaches 8 mm. They appear in large numbers and remain on the bush after leaf fall, in the southern regions until spring, they go to feed birds.
At the age of 5, the barberry stops growing, begins to bloom and bear fruit.
Barberry Atropurpurea Nana in landscape design
This kind of culture is widely used in the design of sites by professional designers. Barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" is available for purchase, therefore it is often found in the private courtyard of amateur gardeners. Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea Nana (berberis thunbergii) is used as:
- A hedge to demarcate areas on the site, at the back of the ridges, along the path to simulate the alley.
- A solitary plant near a body of water.
- A focusing object in rockeries, in order to emphasize the composition of the stones.
- The main background near the wall of the building, benches, gazebos.
- Alpine slide boundaries.
In city parks, the view of Thunberg "Atropurpurea" is included in the composition with conifers (Japanese pine, cypress, thuja) as the lower tier. Bushes are planted in front of the facades of public and private institutions.
Planting and caring for barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea Nana
Barberry Thunberg tolerates a drop in temperature, return spring frosts do not affect the flowering and decorative effect of the shrub. This quality makes it possible to grow Thunberg barberry in a temperate climate.The shrub normally tolerates excess ultraviolet radiation and dry weather, and has proven itself well in the southern latitudes. Planting and caring for the barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" are carried out in the framework of conventional agricultural technology, the plant is unpretentious.
Seedling and planting plot preparation
Barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" is planted on the site in the spring after warming the soil or in the fall, a month before the onset of frost, so that the shrub has time to take root. The plot is determined with good lighting, in the shade the barberry will not slow down its growth, but will partially lose its decorative color of the leaves.
The root system of the shrub is superficial, not very deep, therefore it does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. The seat is chosen on a flat surface or a hill. In lowlands with close groundwater, the plant will die. The best option is the east or south side behind the wall of the building. The influence of the north wind is undesirable. Soils are chosen neutral, fertile, drained, preferably loamy or sandy loam.
For spring planting, the site is being prepared in the fall. Dolomite flour is added to acidic soils; by spring, the composition will be neutral. Chernozem soil is lightened by adding peat or sod layer. One-year-old seedlings are suitable for spring planting, two-year-old ones for autumn propagation. Planting material of Thunberg barberry is selected with a developed root system, dry and damaged fragments are removed before placement. The seedling should consist of 4 or more shoots with a smooth red bark with a yellow tint. Before planting, the root system is disinfected with a fungicide, placed in a solution that stimulates root growth for 2 hours.
Planting barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea
The Thunberg barberry is propagated in two ways: by landing in a trench, if they plan to form a hedge, or in a single pit to create a composition. The depth of the pit is 40 cm, the width from the root to the wall of the hole is not less than 15 cm. The nutrient soil is preliminarily prepared, consisting of soil, humus, sand (in equal parts) with the addition of superphosphate at the rate of 100 g per 10 kg of the mixture. Planting sequence:
- A deepening is made, a layer (20 cm) of the mixture is poured onto the bottom.
- The plant is placed vertically, the roots are evenly distributed.
- Fall asleep with soil, leave a root collar 5 cm above the surface, if the bush is planned to be bred by dividing, the neck is deepened.
- Watering, mulching the root circle with organic matter (in spring), straw or dry leaves (in autumn).
Watering and feeding
Barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" is drought-resistant, can do without watering for a long time. If the season is with intermittent rainfall, additional irrigation is not required. In a hot dry summer, the plant is watered with plenty of water (once every ten days) at the root. After planting, young barberries are watered every day in the evening.
In the first year of the growing season, the Thunberg barberry is fed in the spring using organic matter. In subsequent years, feeding is carried out three times, in early spring - with nitrogen-containing agents, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied by autumn, after the foliage is dropped, organic matter is recommended in liquid form at the root.
Pruning
One-year-old shrubs thin out in the spring, shorten the stems, carry out sanitary cleaning. The shape of the barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" is supported by all subsequent years of growth. Pruning is carried out in early June, dry and weak shoots are removed. Low-growing species do not require the formation of a bush, they are given an aesthetic appearance in the spring by removing dry fragments.
Preparing for winter
The Thunberg barberry "Atropurpurea" grown in the south does not require shelter for the winter.Mulching with peat, straw or sunflower husk will suffice. In temperate climates, in order to prevent the roots and shoots from freezing, the plant is completely covered for up to five years. Spruce branches are used more often. Tall-growing Thunberg barberry requires more thorough preparation for winter:
- shoots are pulled together with a rope;
- make a construction in the form of a cone by 10 cm more than the volume of a bush from a chain-link mesh;
- the voids are filled with dry leaves;
- the top is covered with a special material that does not allow moisture to pass through.
If the Thunberg barberry is more than 5 years old, it is not covered, it is enough to mulch the root circle. Frozen areas of the root system are fully restored during the spring-autumn period.
Reproduction of barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea
It is possible to dilute the common barberry "Atropurpurea" on the site using a vegetative and generative method. Reproduction of a culture by seeds is rarely carried out due to the duration of the process. In autumn, planting material is harvested from the fruits, kept for 40 minutes in a manganese solution, and dried. Planted in a small garden bed. In the spring, the seeds will sprout, after the appearance of two leaves, the shoots dive. On the preliminary bed, the Thunberg barberry grows for two years, in the third spring it is transferred to a permanent site.
Vegetative way:
- Cuttings... The material is cut at the end of June, placed in fertile soil under a transparent cap. Give a year for rooting, planted in the spring.
- Layers... In early spring, the lower shoot of one growing season is tilted to the ground, fixed, covered with soil, and the crown is left on the surface. By autumn, the plant will give roots, it is left until spring, it is well insulated. In the spring, seedlings are cut and placed on the territory.
- By dividing the bush... Autumn breeding method. The plant is at least 5 years old with a deep root collar. The mother bush is divided into several parts, planted over the territory.
Diseases and pests
Frequent insects parasitizing the Thunberg barberry: aphid, moth, sawfly. Eliminate pests by treating barberry with a solution of laundry soap or 3% chlorophos.
The main fungal and bacterial infections: bacteriosis, powdery mildew, leaf spot and wilting of leaves, rust. To eliminate the disease, the plant is treated with colloidal sulfur, Bordeaux liquid, copper oxychloride. Affected fragments of barberry are cut and removed from the site. In autumn, the soil around the culture is loosened, dry weeds are removed, since spores of the fungus can winter in it.
Conclusion
Barberry Thunberg "Atropurpurea" is an ornamental plant with a bright red crown. It is used to decorate plots, park areas, foreground institutions. Frost-resistant deciduous shrub is grown throughout the territory of the Russian Federation, except for the zone of risky farming.
