Golden Barberry

Golden Barberry
Berberis 'Golden Carousel'
(BUR-bur-is)
Synonyms: Bailsel

The flowers on this plant are almost insignificant as they are just about the same color as the foliage. They do add a little pizzazz to the plant in the spring and look nice against the reddish new growth. The red on the leaves does fade to yellow and is most pronounced during the spring. The fall color is great, like most Barberries, a good mixture of orange, red and yellow.

When I got ‘Golden Carousel’ I didn’t know too much about it except that it was $10 more per plant than the regular Golden Barberry. I now know that it is a hybrid between Korean and Japanese barberry species. The premium turned out to be worth it as ‘Golden Carousel’ has turned into a handsome shrub. Its final height is listed, as 4 to 6 feet and I have been able to keep it to 4 feet over 12 years. It has a strong vertical growth habit that makes it an interesting accent in the garden. It also appears to be deer resistant, as it hasn’t been browsed in a heavily populated area. All in all it is a nice shrub that can find its own niche in your garden lighting up a corner with its bold foliage color. Plant in full sun for best color although in part shade it still looks good with more of a lime green color.