Barberry 'Crimson Pygmy'
Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' · Berberidaceae
A dense, thorny cushion of small, dark red-purple leaves that turn scarlet in autumn, with red berries in winter.
- Size
- 24 in tall, 3 ft wide
- Zones
- 4 to 8
- Light
- Full sun
- Flowers
- Grown for its leaves; flowers late April to early May
- Pets
- No toxicity recorded
- Job in a bed
- Drift
Invasive in parts of North America. Self-seeds by bird-carried berries, and the species is invasive in woodland across the Northeast and Midwest. Banned from sale in states including Maine, New York, Minnesota and Pennsylvania. Ask for a sterile variety. The planner never chooses it.
Where barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' goes in a border
At 24 in it belongs at the front of a bed. In the planner's ten height classes it is medium short (18 to 24 in).
Its job: drift. Planted in a small group of three or five, and repeated further along in the other number.
For decades the standard low red shrub of American landscaping. The species is now banned from sale in several states because it invades woodland, and the planner will not choose it.
- Low red foliage, where it is permitted
- Barrier planting
- Containers
What to plant with barberry 'Crimson Pygmy'
Plants recorded as good partners for it, and what each pairing does:
- Blue fescue: low enough (10 in) to stand in front of it.
- Juniper 'Blue Star'.
- Sedum 'Autumn Joy': adds the flowers, mid August to mid October; bold leaves against its fine ones.
Questions about barberry 'Crimson Pygmy'
Does barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' need sun or shade?
Barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).
It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.
What zones does barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' grow in?
USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).
Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.
Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.
How far apart should barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' be planted?
2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.
It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.
How many barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' plants do I need?
At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:
- 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
- 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
- 6 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own
In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.
Is barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' poisonous to dogs and cats?
No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.
"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.
What can I plant instead of barberry 'Crimson Pygmy'?
Barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' is listed as invasive in parts of North America (7 listings), so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:
- Shrubby cinquefoil 'Abbotswood': the same job in a bed; belongs in the middle, not at the front, 6 in taller.
- Inkberry 'Gem Box': the same job in a bed; belongs in the middle, not at the front, 6 in taller.
Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.
Do deer eat barberry 'Crimson Pygmy'?
Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.
Will barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' spread?
It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Self-seeds by bird-carried berries, and the species is invasive in woodland across the Northeast and Midwest. Banned from sale in states including Maine, New York, Minnesota and Pennsylvania. Ask for a sterile variety.
It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.
What does barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' look like in winter?
Barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' drops its leaves and stands as bare branches. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.
Is barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' good for bees and butterflies?
Barberry 'Crimson Pygmy' is visited by songbirds.
More Berberis
- Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii
Every fact on record
- Type
- Shrub
- Size
- 24 in (60 cm) tall, 3 ft (90 cm) wide
- Plant
- 2½ ft (75 cm) apart
- Height class
- Medium short (18 to 24 in)
- Place in the bed
- Front
- Flowers
- Late April to early May; hanging bells; yellow
- Leaves
- Fine texture, deciduous; burgundy, red
- Shape
- Mounding, self-seeding
- Hardy in
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Light
- Full sun
- Soil
- Average, well-drained
- Water
- Low
- Feeding
- None needed
- Family
- Berberidaceae
- Comes from
- Asia (Japan)
- Attracts
- Songbirds
- Stands up to
- Deer, drought, heat, salt, erosion
Checked against NC State Extension and VASCAN (plants of Canada). Flowering times are for zone 5: later in colder zones, earlier in warmer ones. Toxicity and spread information is a general gardening guide, not veterinary or medical advice, and invasive status varies by region. If a person or pet eats a plant, contact poison control or a vet. Check your local invasive species list before planting anything with a spread warning.