• Photo of Berberis julianae (Berberis julianaes)

Plant Profile: Berberis julianae

Taxonomy: Berberis julianae

Names

Wintergreen Barberry

  • Photo of Berberis julianae (Berberis julianaes)

Phonetic Spelling:ber-BER-is joo-lee-AN-eye

Genus:Berberis

Species:julianae

Family:Berberidaceae

Berberis julianae is an exceptionally cold-hardy evergreen barberry that can withstand significant pruning, making it an excellent choice for creating screens or barriers. This plant is notably resistant to deer damage, moderately tolerant of salt, and adaptable to various soil types. Its growth habit is typically a rounded, dense mound, although it may become more open as it matures. The texture of the foliage ranges from medium to fine.

**Seed:** Berry

**Quick Identification Tips:**
- Blooms in early spring
- Berries remain through the fall
- Foliage is a glossy, dark green
- Functions well as a barrier due to its dense and spiny nature
- May appear weedy if not regularly pruned

This species is well-suited for urban environments, tolerates shade, can handle heavy pruning, and is generally free from pests and diseases.

Berberis julianae Feature Summary

Berberis julianae Image Gallery

Tags

#red
#evergreen
#fall color
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#perennial
#shrub
#yellow flowers
#salt tolerant
#spring flowers
#cpp
#deer browsing plant
#dense
#spines
#cold tolerant
#spring interest
#screening
#fantz
#evergreen shrub
#partial shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Berberis julianae is often confused with:

Berberis julianae Feature Summary

Attributes
Fruit
.3-in., oval, bluish-black fruit that persists into fall.
Black
Blue
Flowers
Small, yellow flowers in spring. Inflorescence subumbellate racemes. 2-5, yellow, borne on long pedicels.
Gold/Yellow
< 1 inch
Leaves
This plant has alternate, simple, lustrous, and dark green leaves. They are 2-3" long, spiny, and serrated with a wine-red fall color. Narrow-elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate, clustered on dwarf shoots in spine axil, coriaceous, concolorous above and beneath.
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Elliptical
Lanceolate
Oblanceolate
1-3 inches
Showy
Long-lasting
Stem
Angular, yellowish when young, yellow-gray or yellow-brown 2nd year, bearing 3-parted spines.
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Whole Plant Traits
Rounded
Mounding
Dense
Open
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Landscape
Border
Hedge
Screen/Privacy
Barrier
Security
Songbirds
Bees
Spines/Thorns
Problem for Children

Berberis julianae Attributes

Berberis julianae: Country Or Region Of Origin

Central China

Berberis julianae: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Drought tolerant, deer damage, salt tolerant

Berberis julianae: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Berberis julianae: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Berberis julianae Fruit

Berberis julianae: Fruit Description

.3-in., oval, bluish-black fruit that persists into fall.

Berberis julianae: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Berberis julianae: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Blue

Berberis julianae: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Berberis julianae: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Berberis julianae Flowers

Berberis julianae: Flower Description

Small, yellow flowers in spring. Inflorescence subumbellate racemes. 2-5, yellow, borne on long pedicels.

Berberis julianae: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Berberis julianae: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Berberis julianae: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Berberis julianae: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Berberis julianae Leaves

Berberis julianae: Leaf Description

This plant has alternate, simple, lustrous, and dark green leaves. They are 2-3" long, spiny, and serrated with a wine-red fall color. Narrow-elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate, clustered on dwarf shoots in spine axil, coriaceous, concolorous above and beneath.

Berberis julianae: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Berberis julianae: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Berberis julianae: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Brown/Copper
spa
Red/Burgundy

Berberis julianae: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Berberis julianae: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Berberis julianae: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Berberis julianae: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Berberis julianae: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Berberis julianae: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Berberis julianae: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Berberis julianae Stem

Berberis julianae: Stem Description

Angular, yellowish when young, yellow-gray or yellow-brown 2nd year, bearing 3-parted spines.

Berberis julianae: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Gold/Yellow

Berberis julianae: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Berberis julianae Whole Plant Traits

Berberis julianae: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Berberis julianae: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Berberis julianae: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Berberis julianae: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Berberis julianae: Appendage

Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns

Berberis julianae Cultural Conditions

Berberis julianae: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Berberis julianae: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Berberis julianae: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Berberis julianae Landscape

Berberis julianae: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Berberis julianae: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Berberis julianae: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Berberis julianae: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy