• Photo of Berberis koreana (Berberis koreanas)

Plant Profile: Berberis koreana

Taxonomy: Berberis koreana

Names

Korean Barberry

  • Photo of Berberis koreana (Berberis koreanas)

Phonetic Spelling:ber-BER-is kor-ee-AH-nah

Genus:Berberis

Species:koreana

Family:Berberidaceae

This deciduous shrub, native to Korea, is resilient to drought and thrives in various environments, though it does not fare well in overly wet conditions. It features vibrant yellow flowers, striking red berries, and attractive fall foliage. The plant propagates through suckers, often creating dense thickets, which has led to its classification as invasive in certain regions. It is relatively simple to transplant and is rarely affected by deer. To preserve its shape, occasional light pruning may be necessary. Caution is advised when handling, as it is equipped with numerous spines!

Berberis koreana Feature Summary

Berberis koreana Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#fall color
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#perennial
#shrub
#weedy
#berries
#spines
#borders
#partial shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Berberis koreana Feature Summary

Attributes
Deer resistant
Perennial
Woody
Seed
Stem Cutting
Root Cutting
Fruit
Small, waxy, egg-shaped, bright red berries in fall and winter
Red/Burgundy
Flowers
Small yellow flowers in hanging clusters in mid-spring
Gold/Yellow
7 - 20 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Alternate, simple, medium to dark green leaves; 1 to 3 in. long; rounded apex; spines on leaf margins; red-purple fall color
Deciduous
Semi-evergreen
Green
Purple/Lavender
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Elliptical
Obovate
1-3 inches
Stem
Reddish stems densely armed with short spines
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Smooth (glabrous)
Smooth/Hairless
Whole Plant Traits
Deciduous
Semi-evergreen
Multi-stemmed
Dense
Clumping
Oval
Medium
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)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
3a
3b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Barrier
Security
Walkways
Slope/Bank
Rock Wall
Weedy
Problem for Children
Bark
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy

Berberis koreana Attributes

Berberis koreana: Country Or Region Of Origin

Korea

Berberis koreana: Wildlife Value

Deer resistant

Berberis koreana: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Berberis koreana: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Berberis koreana Fruit

Berberis koreana: Fruit Description

Small, waxy, egg-shaped, bright red berries in fall and winter

Berberis koreana: Fruit Type

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

Berberis koreana: Fruit Color

grass
Red/Burgundy

Berberis koreana: Fruit Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Berberis koreana: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Berberis koreana: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Berberis koreana Flowers

Berberis koreana: Flower Description

Small yellow flowers in hanging clusters in mid-spring

Berberis koreana: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Berberis koreana: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Berberis koreana: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Berberis koreana: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Berberis koreana: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Berberis koreana: Flower Size

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

Berberis koreana Leaves

Berberis koreana: Leaf Description

Alternate, simple, medium to dark green leaves; 1 to 3 in. long; rounded apex; spines on leaf margins; red-purple fall color

Berberis koreana: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Berberis koreana: Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Purple/Lavender

Berberis koreana: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Berberis koreana: Leaf Type

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

Berberis koreana: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Berberis koreana: 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 koreana: Leaf Margin

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

Berberis koreana: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Berberis koreana: Leaf Length

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

Berberis koreana: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Berberis koreana Stem

Berberis koreana: Stem Description

Reddish stems densely armed with short spines

Berberis koreana: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Red/Burgundy

Berberis koreana: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Berberis koreana: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Berberis koreana: Stem Buds

Hairy
Hairy tips
Scaly
Smooth/Hairless

Berberis koreana Whole Plant Traits

Berberis koreana: 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 koreana: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Berberis koreana: 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 koreana: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Berberis koreana: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Berberis koreana: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Berberis koreana: Appendage

Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns

Berberis koreana Cultural Conditions

Berberis koreana: 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 koreana: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Berberis koreana: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Berberis koreana: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Berberis koreana: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b

Berberis koreana: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Berberis koreana Landscape

Berberis koreana: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Berberis koreana: 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 koreana: 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 koreana: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Berberis koreana: 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

Berberis koreana Bark

Berberis koreana: Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown
grass
Red/Burgundy

Berberis koreana: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy