Description

Bring spring flowers and year-round foliage colour interest to your garden with Berberis ‘Red Pillar’. Red Pillar is an upright barberry with deep purple-red leaves on narrow, columnar stems. It adds a strong vertical accent and turns bright scarlet in autumn.

Berberis, or barberry, is a tough, versatile shrub group grown for coloured foliage, bright spring flowers and autumn berries. Their spiny stems make them excellent security hedges, and many varieties offer bold leaf colour in red, purple, gold or variegated shades.

Key features of Berberis ‘Red Pillar’

• Plant type: Deciduous shrub
• Season of interest: Spring flowers and year-round foliage colour
• Look: Purple-red leaves on an upright, columnar barberry
• Height and spread: 1.5m x 0.6m
• Position: Full sun for the strongest leaf colour
• Soil: Almost any well-drained soil
• Hardiness: Fully hardy
• Supplied in: Established container-grown plant
• Best for: security and boundary hedging, low-maintenance borders, foliage colour, low hedging

Why choose Berberis ‘Red Pillar’?

• Purple-red foliage
• Columnar, upright shape
• Scarlet autumn colour

Where to plant Berberis ‘Red Pillar’

Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ grows best in full sun for the strongest leaf colour, in almost any well-drained soil. It is a good choice for security and boundary hedging, and also works well for low-maintenance borders, foliage colour and low hedging. Combine with grasses, euonymus, cotinus and lavender for colourful, low-maintenance planting.

How to plant Berberis ‘Red Pillar’

Before planting, soak the root ball in a bucket of water. Prepare a hole about twice the width of the pot, fork over the bottom and add organic matter. Plant at the original soil level, firm the soil around the roots and give it a generous drink.

How to care for Berberis ‘Red Pillar’

Water during the first summer. Little feeding is needed; a spring mulch is enough. Prune after flowering; tolerant of poor soil, wind and drought once established. Prune after flowering or trim hedges in summer. Wear gloves, as the stems are spiny. Very trouble-free; occasionally affected by sawfly larvae.

Growing Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ in a pot

Compact forms suit pots and window boxes. Use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3, make sure the pot has drainage holes, and water regularly in summer, as containers dry out faster than borders.

Grown in the UK, for UK gardens

Every plant is grown at our St Annes nursery in the North West, where it is raised in real British conditions. That means a tougher, well-rooted plant that settles quickly into your garden. Contact us for the current size options of Berberis ‘Red Pillar’. Container-grown plants can be planted almost all year round, as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged; autumn and spring are ideal.

Frequently asked questions

How big does Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ grow?
Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ typically reaches 1.5m x 0.6m, depending on position, soil and pruning.

When does Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ look its best?
Its main season of interest is spring flowers and year-round foliage colour, when it shows purple-red leaves on an upright, columnar barberry.

Is Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ hardy?
Fully hardy.

How do I prune Berberis ‘Red Pillar’?
Prune after flowering or trim hedges in summer. Wear gloves, as the stems are spiny.

Is Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ good for wildlife?
Yes. The flowers feed bees and the berries are eaten by birds.

Does Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ have thorns?
Yes. Most berberis have sharp spines, which makes them excellent for deterring intruders.

Add Berberis ‘Red Pillar’ to your basket today and enjoy spring flowers and year-round foliage colour interest in your garden.