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    • Photo of Berberis darwinii flower by Far Out Flora

    Photo by Far Out Flora

    Used with permission, all rights reserved

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    Berberis darwinii

    Also Known As

    • Berberis darwinii [RCH 404]
    • Darwin Barberry
    • Darwin's Barberry
    • Michay

    Plant type

    shrub

    size

    • H: 6'-10'
    • W: 4'-10'

    planting zones

    • 7a-10b

    More Options

    Berberis darwinii plant details

    Berberis darwinii is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with green foliage. In spring and winter orange and yellow flowers emerge followed by black and purple fruit. Features glossy texture. Attracts bees and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly shade and regular - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in acidic, average, clay, gritty, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and seaside / salt tolerant.

    CHARACTERISTICS OF Berberis darwinii

    Plant type: shrub
    Plant family: berberidaceae
    Foliage: evergreen green
    Mature size: 4 FT - 10 FT - wide, 6 FT - 10 FT - tall
    Flowers: orange and yellow blooms in spring and winter
    Uses: easy-to-grow, floriferous, screen, textural, winter interest

    GROWING CONDITIONS for Berberis darwinii

    USDA Zones: 7a - 10b
    Sun exposure: sun - mostly shade
    Watering frequency: regular - low
    Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat and seaside / salt
    Soil needs: acidic, average, clay, gritty, rich and well-drained

    Nursery contributed plant descriptions

    ?One of the finest of all EG shrubs? (Bean) first discovered by Darwin on his famous trip with the Beagle; of dense habit (6-10') with glossy leaves and drooping 2" racemes of gold-tinged-red flowers and small plum-colored flowers. S/M

    By: Forestfarm

    Deep green, small, prickly leaves are dense on this textural evergreen shrub. Moderate growth 6-8' tall and 4-6' wide…prettiest left to its own devices. Glowing apricot orange flowers almost cover this shrub in late winter > mid spring, breathtaking! Deer proof, good barrier plant, great addition to the flowering shrub bed or background for the border. Full sun to very light shade, most soils with decent drainage. Drought tolerant. Loves the beach.

    By: Secret Garden Growers

    Centaura bella is an attractive clump-forming perennial which bears pink bachelor's button-like flowers. The just-shy-of 2-inch flowers are set off by the gray cast of the feathery light green foliage and the woolly stems. The underside of the leaves are lined with fine white hairs.

    By: Noname Nursery

    This is a dense, compact, evergreen shrub, with dark glossy green, broadly oblong, spined leaves, and drooping racemes of rich orange flowers, tinged red in bud, followed by blue-black berries

    By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

    Blooming from fall to late spring with orange-gold flowers tinged with red, this evergreen bush stands 5-8' with a 6-8' spread. Showy plum-colored fruit appears abundantly in late summer and fall, attracting birds. Exhibits a fountain-like form spreading slowly by rhizomes. Hardy to 10F. Chile.

    By: Native Sons

    Blooms: spring, loaded with bright orange yellow flowers, small, spiney dark green evergreen leaves. Blue fruit. Zone 7-9. 6', Chile, part shade-sun, moist, humus rich, well drained

    By: Keeping it Green Nursery

    Orange-yellow flowers in spring, blue berries in fall. Thorns. GPP for the NW. Zones 7-9.

    By: Lael's Moon Garden

    This is that big head-turning mass of color Barberry that you always see in someone else's yard in early to mid spring and wonder why you have never planted one yourself. Those people don't even garden for god's sake and look how gorgeous that is! Sun, tons of vibrant yellow flowers.

    By: Far Reaches Farm

    Why does anyone plant ugly, boring barberries when they could plant this one? This evergreen species from Chile with rather thick, glossy leaves is one of the showiest in flower: in spring, it is covered in screaming orange bell shaped flowers! These are followed by little bluish fruits. Reasonably well behaved, it usually stays under 6' in gardens and can always be cut back hard if need be. Other than that, it's very easy to grow in sun or shade on most any soil. Watch out for those spines! This is the plant Darwin was named after - who would have thought? Hardy to about 5°F.

    By: The Desert Northwest

    Spectacular orange flowers smother this evergreen 6' x 6' shrub in spring.

    By: Dancing Oaks Nursery

    A striking, evergreen barberry, with bright, yellow-orange flowers on red stems, showy and cheerful over a long season in spring. This form, collected by plantsman Randall Hitchin, reaches 8 ft tall and nearly as wide, with arching branches and spiny leaves, dark green above and lighter below. Native to Chile and Argentina, these handsome plants enjoy full sun to part shade in reasonably well-drained soil with average summer water. Frost hardy in USDA zone 7. [RCH 404]

    By: Cistus Nursery

    A southern Chilien native that has been grown in the northwest for generations. The very small deep green prickly leaves are attractive year round. In March the plant is covered with small orange flowers. The combination of the dark leaves and bright orange flowers will make a show stopping display.

    By: Gossler Farms

    Gardening facts about Berberis darwinii plant

    How to Grow Berberis darwinii

    • Sun Exposure

      • sun - mostly shade

    • Water Needs

      • regular - drought tolerant

    • Soil Needs

      • clay
      • acidic
      • adaptable
      • average
      • well-drained
      • rich
      • gritty

    • Special Situation

      • heat tolerant
      • seaside / salt tolerant

    Features

    • Foliage Color

      • green

    • Flower Color

      • orange
      • yellow

    • Wildlife

      • bees
      • hummingbirds
      • deer resistant
      • rabbit resistant

    • Fruit

      • purple
      • black

    • Flower Season

      • winter
      • spring

    • Foliage Season

      • evergreen

    • Texture

      • glossy

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