"Barbara" Barberry 'Sunsation'
Berberis thunbergii 'Sunsation'
Compact, thorny shrub with a short sturdy trunk, fine twigs, small gold, green and pink leaves and red berries: a good bonsai candidate. Work planned for late winter or early spring.
- Common name
- Barberry 'Sunsation'
- Section
- Trees & shrubs
- Style
- Pre-bonsai / raw material
- Spot
- Garden
- Soil
- Used compost (neutral holding mix for dormancy)
- Options
Bonsai · Plant out
Bonsai
Bonsai: the compact habit suits a small broom or clump style.
Plant out
Alternatively, a low hedge or border shrub.
- From
- A local independent garden centre (in the sale), Sep 2026
- Age
- About 4 years
- Next repot
- Around Mar 2027
- Edible
- ❌ No: Grown as an ornamental, not for eating. Culinary barberries should not be assumed to be the same as this plant.
- Hardy
- ✅ Fully
- Garden-centre price
- about £12
Did you know?
Japanese barberries are grown for their coloured leaves, autumn colour and ornamental berries.
Care & updates
- Next root check
- Mar 2027
- What to expect
- Leaves drop in autumn, often after a good colour show, and return in spring. Small yellow flowers in spring, then red berries. Flowers Apr–May.
- Feeding
- Every 28 days, Apr–Aug, with Balanced liquid feed, half strength
- Observation
The seedling turned out to be a small tree. Lifted out and potted up separately as Mysterion.
- Observation
Healthy, with red berries and autumn pink and cream tints on the leaves. A small weed seedling is growing in the pot, worth pulling out. The pot rim has a crack.
- Repotted
Approximate date. Into used compost as a neutral holding mix to protect the roots over dormancy.
🎮
Mickey braves an enchanted forest full of thorns and prickles.
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