Japanese barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' is a deciduous, woody shrub cultivar of Japanese barberry, which is in the barberry family (Berberidaceae). Both the parent plant and this cultivar are invasive species in North Carolina. 'Crimson Pygmy' barberry grows 1 to 3 feet tall and somewhat wider in a rounded dense form. The leaves are purplish in summer and turn red in the fall. It spreads by creeping roots and by self-seeding. Branches may root where they touch the ground. The stems have spines. Though it has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, ‘Crimson Pygmy’ barberry is not recommended for North Carolina landscapes due to its invasiveness. Please choose a less problematic plant. Suggestions appear to the left. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems : Be aware of the thorny stems. ‘Crimson Pygmy’ is susceptible to root rots, aphids, Indian wax and armored scales, twobanded Japanese weevil, wilt, barberry webworm, anthracnose, bacterial leaf spot and powdery mildew. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology,” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee. More information on Berberis thunbergii .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Often confused withBerberis thunbergii Sunjoy® Group
Similar, less problematicBerberis thunbergii Sunjoy® GroupBerberis thunbergii WorryFree® GroupLoropetalum chinense var. rubrum 'Razzle-Dazzle'Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum 'Ruby'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Dense; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
This plant has alternate, simple, deep crimson leaves with bronze tinge. Leaves are .5 to .7 in.-long (though can reach 1.25 inches long) and can be greenish-red when grown in shade. This plant has a single spine at each node.
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
This plant has waxy, pale yellow to orange to red flowers that bloom in April and May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
This plant has .2-in., red, oval berries in summer that persist into winter. Berries attract birds.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Some stems are brittle. Thorns are attached to the stem.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Berries attract birds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Buffer; Easy to Grow
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
Not poisonous, but berries contain berberine that can cause stomach upset, especially with children.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Container; Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Rock Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Barrier; Border; Hedge; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy; Security; Small groups; Specimen
Aphids on Ornamental Landscape Plants; Armored Scale Identification and Management on Ornamental Plants; Soft Scale Identification and Management on Ornamental Plants; Indian Wax Scale Insect; Twobanded Japanese Weevil