This barberry has beautiful deep ruby-red foliage that remains all season long and its new growth has a stunning bright red hue. Small yellow flowers in spring produce bright red fruit and later combine with fall colors of orange-scarlet to create an excellent addition to any landscape. The Crimson Pygmy Barberry is a miniature version of the Japanese barberry plant. It originates in Japan and other eastern Asian countries. It is a naturally compact plant and only grows to be about 2 feet tall and 3 feet in its spread.
The Crimson Pygmy Barberry enjoys the benefits of lots of bright sunlight. If planted in the shade, it will tend to lose its color and not grow as well. This shrub is insect resistant, deer resistant and is also pollution tolerant.
The Crimson Pygmy Barberry grows well in dry soil and can tolerate lack of water and even a small amount of salt. Well-drained sand or clay soil should do well for this plant. Keep the pH level closer to alkaline than acid. Crimson Pygmy is a versatile low profile red-leafed barberry adaptable to many garden needs. It’s an excellent mixed border plant to add foliage color and is useful as a green color alternative for a small hedge. It can also be used in garden designs near water features, or in wild, natural areas of your garden.
How to Plant the Crimson Pygmy Barberry: Dig a hole twice as wide as and slightly shallower than, the root ball. Roughen the sides and bottom of the hole with a pick or shovel so that roots can penetrate the soil.
Gently remove the shrub from the container. Lay the shrub on its side with the container end near the planting hole. Hit the bottom and sides of the container until the root ball is loosened. If roots are growing in a circular pattern around the root ball, slice through the roots on a couple of sides of the root ball.
Gently separate circling roots on the root ball. Shorten exceptionally long roots, and guide the shortened roots downward and outward. Root tips die quickly when exposed to light and air, so don't waste time.
Place the root ball in the hole. Leave the top of the root ball (where the roots end and the trunk begins) 1/2 to 1 inch above the surrounding soil, making sure not to cover it unless roots are exposed. Do not set shrubs too deep. As you add soil to fill in around the shrub, lightly tamp the soil to collapse air pockets, or add water to help settle the soil. Apply a 3’-4’ layer of mulch around the base of the bush to retain moisture and cut down on weeding. Water 2-3 times (1’-2’) a week unless it rains.
