Barberry Harlequin (Harlequin): description and photo

Barberry Harlequin is an unpretentious, ornamental shrub from the barberry family. This species is very popular with gardeners for its beautiful appearance and useful qualities. Variegated, graceful shrub has found wide application in landscape design. Due to the variegated foliage, it is used to frame flower beds and mixborders.

Description barberry Harlequin

Barberry Harlequin was found on the mountain slopes of Japan in 1864, but it gained European popularity relatively recently. Acquaintance with the Thunberg Harlequin barberry must begin with a description:

• variety is medium and slow growing. The height of an adult plant reaches up to 2 m, and the annual growth is 10 cm in height and width;
• the crown is wide, sprawling;
• purple leaf plate, with white spots, changes color in the sun, to snow-white. With the advent of autumn, it becomes golden amber or red;
• in early May, small golden inflorescences appear on the shrub;
• flowering is abundant, lasts about 1 month;
• after flowering, bright red fruits are formed that stay on the branches all winter;
• dark brown shoots have sharp thorns that make it difficult to care for;
• fruiting occurs 3 years after planting.

Barberry Harlequin in landscape design

Barberry Harlequin is used in single and group plantings, to create tree and shrub compositions, mixborders, as well as to create borders and green hedges. A variegated shrub goes well with conifers and other varieties of barberry.

Barberry Harlequin has found wide application for landscaping city parks and squares, intra-quarter, school and city courtyards.

Planting and caring for the Harlequin barberry

Before planting, it is necessary to take into account the preferences of the plant. Barberry Harlequin prefers:

• acidic and slightly alkaline soil;
• bright and ventilated place;
• regular watering;
• timely feeding;
• pruning.

Seedling and planting preparation

Harlequin barberry seedling is best purchased with a closed root system. When buying, you should pay attention to the shoots. They should be without foliage and have a healthy appearance without mechanical damage.

The barberry root system should not come out of the drainage holes, if this happens, then the plant is old and the likelihood of survival is significantly reduced.

When buying a seedling with an open root system, the roots are examined first. They should not have a dark appearance, be dry and rotten. Before planting, the seedling is cut off the root system and soaked in warm water for about 1-2 hours.

It is better to prepare a seat a month before planting. To do this, the earth is dug up on a spade bayonet, organic and mineral fertilizers are added, spilled and covered with polyethylene. Before planting, the earth is dug up again.

Plant barberry Thunberga Harlequin

For good growth and development, the seedling must be properly planted. For this:

1. Planting a seedling of barberry Harlequin is carried out in autumn, a month before the onset of frost.
2. Dig a hole 60×60 cm.
3. If no preliminary preparation of the hole has been carried out, the extracted soil is mixed with compost, humus or rotted manure.
4. Broken brick, expanded clay or pebbles are laid out at the bottom, with a layer of 15 cm.
5. Prepared, fertile soil is laid out on top.
6. The seedling is placed in the center of the planting hole and carefully covered with earth, tamping each layer, trying not to leave air space.
7. After planting, the earth is again tamped, abundantly shed and mulched.
8. So that the plant does not deform during growth, it is tied to a peg.

Watering and top dressing

Barberry Harlequin is a drought-resistant crop, so watering is carried out only in dry summers. To do this, at least 1 bucket of warm water is poured under the root, 2 times a month. After watering, the earth is loosened and mulched. Suitable mulch: dry straw, foliage and sawdust. Mulch will retain moisture, save you from sunburn, and eventually become an additional top dressing.

Harlequin barberry needs fertilizers for good growth and development. To do this, you can use humus, compost, complex mineral fertilizers. Top dressing is applied 3 times per season:

• during the growing season;
• at the time of flowering;
• during fruit formation.

If the seedling is purchased with a closed root system, the first dressing is applied 2 years after planting.

Trimming

In order for the plant to have a decorative appearance and hurt a little, it needs timely pruning. Barberry Harlequin requires 3 types of pruning:

• shaping – carried out in the fall, to give the bush the desired shape;
• sanitary – in the spring, not overwintered and dry shoots are removed;
• anti-aging – remove all old shoots every 7 years.

Preparation for winter

Barberry Harlequin is a cold-resistant crop, withstands temperatures as low as -30 degrees. But in the first 2 years, young seedlings can suffer from severe frosts, so in order not to lose the variety, they must be covered.

In order to protect the root neck, the trunk circle is mulched with straw, foliage or spruce needles. To cover the aerial part, the shoots are collected in a bundle, wrapped with a spunbond and fixed with a rope or metal bracket.

After the end of spring frosts, the shelter is removed. If you are late with time, the Harlequin barberry will swell and die.

Reproduction

Barberry Harlequin reproduces in several ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• division of the bush;
• root growth.

With seed propagation, the likelihood of germination is very low, so this method is not suitable for beginner gardeners.

Cuttings are the simplest and most labor-intensive method of propagation. To propagate barberry Harlequin cuttings, you must:

1. In June, cut cuttings from lateral shoots 10-15 cm long.
2. The lower leaves are removed, the upper ones are shortened by ½ length.
3. Planting material is soaked for 2 hours in the preparation “Kornevin” or “Epin”.
4. The cuttings are planted in a sand-peat mixture and covered with a glass cap to create a favorable microclimate.
5. Once a day, the shelter is removed for airing and watering.
6. After rooting, new leaves will begin to appear on the cutting, and it will begin to grow.
7. When the plant builds up the root system and gets stronger, it is transplanted into a container with nutrient soil.
8. In a year, the young barberry will be ready for transplanting to a permanent place.

Diseases and pests

Barberry Harlequin has strong immunity to many diseases and pests. But if the rules of care are not followed, the following may appear on the plant:

• aphid;
• powdery mildew;
• sawfly;
• bacterial cancer.

You can determine the diseases of barberry Harlequin by photo.

aphid – a small insect that appears on shoots and leaves. With untimely assistance, the pests suck out the juice, which leads to the drying of young shoots. Treatment consists in treating the bush with pepper or soapy water. In case of mass infection, the plant is treated with insecticides.

Mučnistaâ rosa – the disease can be identified by a white coating on the leaves. Often powdery mildew appears at high humidity and air temperature. It is difficult to completely get rid of the disease, therefore, at the first sign, the plant is sprayed with fungicides.

Bacterial cancer – a dangerous disease that cannot be cured. The first signs of the disease:

• wilting and curling of the leaf;
• red-colored ulcers appear on young petioles;
• necrotic spotting on leaves and shoots;
• darkened conducting bundles are visible on the cut of the branch.

When a disease is detected, all affected shoots are removed, and undamaged ones are treated with Bordeaux liquid.

barberry sawfly – the insect is a caterpillar that quickly eats the entire plant. To get rid of pests, the bush is treated with the drug “DNOC”.

Conclusion

The variegated barberry Harlequin is ideal for decorating a personal plot. In order for the shrub to grow well, develop and have a well-groomed appearance, it is necessary to follow the rules of care and take timely preventive measures against diseases and pests.