Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' - Dwarf Red Barberry
Compact Purple-Leaved Deciduous Shrub for Small Gardens
Overview
Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' is the dwarf form of the classic purple-leaved barberry, perfectly scaled for modern smaller gardens and contemporary landscaping. This compact deciduous shrub delivers all the dramatic purple foliage impact of its larger parent in a neat, rounded package that rarely exceeds 60cm in height. With its intense burgundy-purple leaves, spectacular autumn colour transformation, and naturally dense habit, 'Atropurpurea Nana' is ideal for gardeners who want maximum colour impact in minimum space, making it perfect for containers, low hedging, and front-of-border planting.
Key Features
Foliage: Small, rounded leaves (1.5-2cm long) emerge deep red-purple in spring and maintain rich burgundy-purple colouration throughout the growing season. In autumn, foliage transforms into brilliant shades of orange, red, and scarlet before dropping.
Size: Compact, naturally rounded habit reaching just 45-60cm in height and 60-80cm in spread when mature, making it perfect for small gardens and container cultivation.
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate growth rate, typically adding 8-15cm per year once established, naturally maintaining its compact proportions.
Flowers: Small, pale yellow flowers with red tinges appear in late spring, creating subtle contrast against the dark purple foliage.
Thorns: Well-armed with sharp spines despite its small size, providing effective deterrent properties in a compact form.
Berries: Small, bright red berries appear in autumn, though production may be less prolific than on larger varieties.
Growing Conditions
Light Requirements: Performs best in full sun where purple colouration is most intense and vibrant. Tolerates partial shade but foliage may become less vivid, often developing green-purple tones.
Soil: Extremely adaptable to all soil types including heavy clay, chalk, sandy loam, and poor soils. Prefers well-draining conditions but tolerates both drought and occasional waterlogging. pH range 5.0-8.0.
Hardiness: Completely hardy throughout the UK (RHS hardiness rating H6), withstanding temperatures down to -25°C without protection.
Exposure: Excellent tolerance of wind and urban pollution, making it valuable for exposed sites and city gardens.
Planting and Care
Planting Time: Best planted in autumn or early spring when bare-root, though container-grown plants can be planted year-round in suitable weather conditions.
Spacing: Allow 60-80cm between plants for low hedging, or plant individually with adequate space to reach full spread.
Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish roots. Once established, demonstrates excellent drought tolerance and rarely requires supplemental watering.
Feeding: Generally thrives without regular feeding in average garden soil. Light application of balanced fertiliser in early spring can enhance colour intensity.
Pruning: Minimal pruning required due to naturally compact habit and slow growth. If necessary, prune lightly after flowering in early summer. Always wear protective gloves when handling.
Garden Uses
Small Gardens: Perfect scale for modern smaller gardens where larger shrubs would be overwhelming.
Container Planting: Excellent for pots, planters, and containers on patios, terraces, and balconies where its compact size and dramatic colour provide year-round interest.
Low Hedging: Creates attractive, impenetrable low hedges ideal for edging borders, defining pathways, or creating garden compartments.
Front of Border: Outstanding for front-of-border planting where its low height won't obscure taller plants behind.
Rock Gardens: Suitable for larger rock gardens where its compact size and strong colour create focal points.
Ground Cover: Effective for covering small areas where its thorny nature deters foot traffic whilst providing colour.
Seasonal Performance
Spring: New growth emerges in deep red-purple tones, small yellow flowers appear, providing early season colour impact.
Summer: Maintains consistent rich burgundy-purple foliage throughout hot weather, creating reliable colour foundation for garden schemes.
Autumn: Spectacular transformation as leaves turn brilliant orange, red, and scarlet, often more intense than larger varieties.
Winter: Bare branches reveal neat, compact structure with occasional persistent berries providing subtle winter interest.
Companion Plants
The deep purple foliage creates stunning contrasts in small-scale plantings. Pairs beautifully with silver-leaved plants such as small artemisias, dwarf lavenders, and lamb's ear. Creates dramatic combinations with golden or lime-green foliage plants like golden thyme, Heuchera 'Lime Rickey', or small golden hostas. Works excellently with pink or white flowering perennials where the purple provides perfect backdrop colour.
Design Applications
Contemporary Gardens: The compact size and strong colour suit modern minimalist designs and structured planting schemes.
Japanese Gardens: Perfect scale for smaller Japanese garden designs, particularly valued for autumn colour.
Urban Gardens: Excellent for small city gardens, courtyards, and roof terraces where space is at a premium.
Formal Gardens: Ideal for creating neat, coloured blocks in formal parterre or knot garden designs.
Container Cultivation
Pot Size: Requires containers at least 40-50cm diameter for long-term success.
Compost: Use good quality, well-draining multipurpose compost with added grit for drainage.
Maintenance: Water regularly during growing season, feed monthly with balanced liquid fertiliser. May need repotting every 3-4 years.
Winter Care: Hardy in containers but may benefit from moving to sheltered position during extreme weather.
Advantages for Modern Gardening
Space Efficient: Maximum colour impact in minimum space, perfect for contemporary smaller gardens.
Low Maintenance: Requires minimal care once established, ideal for busy gardeners.
Climate Resilient: Excellent drought tolerance and hardiness suit changing climate conditions.
Versatile: Suitable for ground planting and container cultivation.
Wildlife Benefits
Birds: Dense thorny growth provides nesting sites for small birds, berries offer autumn food when produced.
Pollinators: Spring flowers attract early-season bees and beneficial insects.
Security: Despite small size, thorny nature provides effective deterrent for sensitive areas.
Potential Considerations
Generally very hardy and trouble-free. The compact size means slower establishment than larger varieties. In very shaded conditions, purple colouration may fade. The deciduous nature provides winter structure through bare branches rather than foliage.
Why Choose Berberis 'Atropurpurea Nana'?
This compact purple gem delivers all the dramatic colour impact of its larger cousin in a perfectly scaled package for modern gardens. Its combination of intense purple foliage, spectacular autumn transformation, and naturally neat habit makes it invaluable for contemporary garden designs where space is limited but colour impact is essential. The excellent hardiness, drought tolerance, and minimal maintenance requirements ensure reliable performance with virtually no specialist care needed. Whether used in containers, as low hedging, or for front-of-border colour, 'Atropurpurea Nana' provides maximum visual impact whilst remaining perfectly proportioned for smaller spaces. For gardeners seeking dramatic purple foliage in a compact, manageable form, this dwarf variety represents the perfect solution for bringing classic barberry colour to gardens of any size.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
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