Plant Type

Shrub

 

Height Range

3-6'

 

Flower Color

Yellow

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Red, Yellow, Variegated

 

Bark Color

Brown, Red

 

Fruit Color

Red

 

Fruit Season

Winter, Fall, Persistent

Sun

Full

 

Water

Medium, Extra in Summer

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

Thorns/Spines

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Mediterranean, Ranch

 

Accenting Features

Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Entry, Perennial Border, Shrub Border, Foundation, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Hedge, Fire Resistant, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds

‘Golden Ring’ is a cultivar of red-leafed barberry, and is a rounded, moundy, deciduous shrub that grows about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Its reddish purple foliage emerges in spring. Each leaf develops a very thin golden margin (a golden ring), hence the cultivar name. Tiny, bell-shaped, pale yellow flowers bloom in March to April. Glossy, torpedo-shaped, bright red berries mature in fall and persist into winter. The berries are attractive to birds. New wood is a lovely purplish-red. Nice accent in shrub or perennial border, or at foundations.

Grow in well drained soil and full sun; will tolerate part shade, though the leaves will lose some color intensity. Tolerates a wide range of soil types, including dry soils; does not tolerate wet soils. See guide for planting instructions. Barberry does not fair well when sheared, but selective pruning in late winter can maintain a nice form and convenient size. See guide for pruning tips.