About
Berberis cretica is a hardy, low-profile deciduous shrub characterized by its dense thorns. The leaves are small and oval, displaying a vibrant range of warm colors for a short period in autumn before they drop. In spring, this plant produces small clusters of pale yellow flowers, which give way to diminutive blue-black berries that acquire a light, frosty bloom as fall approaches.
About the genus
Berberis consists of shrubs that can be either deciduous or evergreen, characterized by their spiny branches and simple leaves that may have spine-like serrations. The plants produce small yellow or orange flowers, which appear in clusters or racemes in the leaf axils, eventually yielding small berries.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained, Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Coastal, Rock garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Gravel garden
- Native to
- Mediterranean
- Toxicity
- Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Tolerant of a range of soils and locations, but grows best in any well drained soil in full sun or partial shade, though flowering and fruiting are best in full sun. See berberis cultivation for further advice
- Pruning
- Pruning group 2; trim hedges after flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in a seedbed in early spring. Many Berberis species cross freely in gardens, so seed-raised plants are often hybrids. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to aphids and berberis sawfly
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to powdery mildews and sometimes by honey fungus