About
Berberis dictyophylla is a robust, upright deciduous shrub characterized by its reddish-brown stems, which are coated with a white powdery film. The mid-green leaves, measuring up to 2 cm in length and featuring spiny edges, have a white underside and transition to shades of red and yellow during the autumn months. In late spring, the plant produces large solitary flowers that are pale yellow, emerging from the upper leaf axils. These flowers give way to red berries that are initially covered in a white bloom.
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
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden
- Native to
- China (Yunnan}
- 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 semi-hardwood cuttings or seed
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to aphids and berberis sawfly
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to powdery mildews and sometimes by honey fungus