The Sunjoy® group of cultivars of Japanese barberry were developed by Dr. Tom Ranney at NC State. They are members of the barberry family (Berberidaceae) bred and selected for sterility. They do not self-seed and become weedy, as regular Japanese barberry does. Plant in the full sun to light shade, in average to dry well well-drained soils. These cultivars tolerate a wide range of soil types, including clay as long as they are well-drained. They are resistant to browsing by deer and are drought- and air pollution-tolerant. The foliage on these cultivars often emerges a brighter color before maturing to the final color. In some, the mature leaves may have a green or chartreuse margin. The yellow fragrant flowers hang down from the branches. Stand out red-orange leaves appear in the fall and showy red fruits last through the fall and winter months. The fruits do not have fertile seeds. These cultivars were bred and selected specifically to be less of a threat to natural vegetation. Depending on the cultivar, they may be used for low border hedges, accents or specimens. Use them in an Asian, cottage, winter, formal or drought-tolerant garden. Insect, Diseases and Other Plant Problems : Anthracnose, root rot, bacterial leaf spot, wilt, Indian wax scale, two-banded Japanese weevil, barberry webworm and aphids are some problems that may damage barberry. 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 thunbergiiBerberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea'Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea'Berberis thunbergii 'Crimson Pygmy'Berberis thunbergii WorryFree® Group
Fills a similar nicheBuddleja Lo & Behold® 'Ice Chip'Buddleja Lo & Behold® 'Lilac Chip'Buddleja 'Miss Violet'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
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; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry | Very Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.