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The dwarf shrub Thunberg barberry “Inspiration” was created through hybridization in the Czech Republic. The frost-resistant crop quickly spread throughout the Russian Federation. Barberry Thunberg tolerates dry summers and shaded areas well, and is undemanding in care. Used in territory design.
Description of barberry Inspiration
This is a relatively new variety of barberry, which was created specifically for landscape design. The fruits of the plant are bitter due to the high level of alkaloids, so they are not used for gastronomic purposes. Barberry Thunberg is a perennial deciduous variety. It reaches a height of 55 cm, forms a crown in the form of a circle with a diameter of up to 70 cm. Flowering begins in May.
Barberry "Inspiration" is a slow-growing plant, its growth per season is about 10 cm. It is the leader among crop varieties in terms of frost resistance. Safely tolerates temperature drops down to – 250 C. Winters under snow without additional shelter. If the season is not snowy, the upper part of the young shoots may freeze, which are completely restored over the summer.
The guarantee of the attractiveness of the Thunberg “Inspiration” shrub is a sufficient amount of ultraviolet radiation. In shaded areas, photosynthesis slows down, which affects the decorative appearance of the crown. It changes color to a monochromatic, darker color interspersed with green fragments.
Description of Thunberg's barberry "Inspiration" (shown in the photo):
- Thin branches of the bush grow vertically. The crown is dense, compact, practically without gaps, and spherical in shape. Young shoots are bright burgundy in color with a glossy surface. Older shoots are darker, with a brown tint.
- Thunberg's "Inspiration" look is in demand among designers due to the color of the bush. On one barberry there are leaves with white, red, and purple specks on a light pink background. The leaves are small, spatulate, 1.2 cm in size. Rounded at the top, narrowed at the bottom, tightly fixed, they remain on the plant after autumn frosts.
- The thorniness of barberry "Inspiration" Thunberg is weak, the spines are short (up to 0.5 cm), simple.
- The culture blooms profusely with bright yellow flowers, collected in inflorescences of 4 pieces, or blooming singly on shoots. The variety is a honey plant and does not require cross-pollination.
- The berries of Thunberg barberry are oblong in shape, green in color at the stage of technical ripeness, and after ripening they turn bright burgundy. They are well attached to the stalk, do not fall from the bush until spring, and due to the abundance of berries, Thunberg barberry looks impressive against the background of snow.
Barberry Inspiration in landscape design
A dwarf ornamental shrub is used for the foreground in a variety of compositions.Used as a single plant or in combination with higher varieties of barberry. Planted in groups to form borders. The main use of the plant is in garden plots, the front part of administrative buildings, and flower beds in recreation parks. Barberry Thunberg, a dwarf species, is used to create:
- borders along the garden path;
- foreground ridges;
- accent in the center of the flower bed;
- reservoir zone restrictions;
- compositions in rock gardens;
- an accent that draws attention near the stones in the rock garden.
Barberry is often used in a shrub-wood composition. They combine “Inspiration” with coniferous trees. Grown as a hedge. The Thunberg variety lends itself well to pruning and forms hedges of various shapes.
Planting and care
Barberry "Inspiration" tolerates low temperatures well, so it is grown in Siberia, the Urals and throughout the European part of the Russian Federation. The decorative appearance of the crown is not affected by returning spring frosts; barberry will not lose its flowers and, accordingly, fruits by autumn. Thunberg's variety "Inspiration" can do without moisture for a long time, it is not afraid of high temperatures, this feature makes barberry a frequent guest in the gardens of southerners. The plant is unpretentious in agricultural technology.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
It is customary to plant Thunberg's barberry "Inspiration" in the spring, when the soil has completely warmed up, in regions with a temperate climate, approximately in mid-May, in the South - in April. The autumn planting method is rarely used. Choose a sunny place for the plant; in good light, the color of the bush will be rich. Photosynthesis will not be affected by temporary shading.If there is a deficiency of ultraviolet radiation, barberry will lose its decorative effect.
The crop grows well with a lack of moisture; excess can lead to the death of the plant. The root system of barberry is superficial; prolonged waterlogging leads to root rot. The planting site is determined to be on a flat or elevated place; swampy lowlands are not suitable. An important requirement is the absence of nearby groundwater. Barberry "Inspiration" does not tolerate exposure to the north wind; it is recommended to place the bush on the south or east side.
The soil should be well-drained, slightly acidic or neutral. The plant feels comfortable on sandy loam soil, and can also grow on loamy soil. The site has been prepared since the fall. Acidic soil is neutralized with dolomite flour or lime. In spring, the soil will become suitable for planting barberry. Peat is added to the black soil. Planting material is used two years old. Seedlings are selected with three shoots, with smooth dark red bark, without damage. The central root should be well developed, without dry areas, the fibrous system without mechanical damage.
Landing rules
When forming a hedge, Thunberg barberry is placed in a trench. For a single planting, make a recess. Prepare a fertile mixture of equal parts, organic matter, peat, and yellow sand. The depth of the hole is 45 cm, width 30 cm. If planting involves the formation of a hedge, 4 plants are placed per meter. When planting barberry "Inspiration" as an arabesque, the row spacing should be 50 cm. Algorithm of actions:
- Dig a hole and add 25 cm of prepared soil to the bottom.
- The barberry is placed in the center and the roots are distributed along the bottom of the hole.
- Cover the seedling with soil, leaving the root collar on the surface.
- Water the root with superphosphate diluted in water.
Watering and fertilizing
Thunberg's Inspiration variety is a drought-tolerant plant. If it rains periodically in the summer, barberry is not watered. In dry summers without precipitation, the crop is irrigated early in the morning or after sunset. Young seedlings require watering throughout the season at least four times a month.
On fertile soils, fertilizing is carried out in the spring before the leaves bloom with nitrogen-containing agents. After flowering, organic, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used. After the sap flow stops, the bush is watered abundantly.
Trimming
After planting, the Thunberg barberry is cut in half; over the summer the crop forms a spherical crown. In the second year of the growing season, weak shoots and frost-damaged branches are removed and the shrub is given the desired shape by pruning. In subsequent years, pruning is not required for the low-growing bush. At the beginning of June, sanitary cleaning is carried out to give an aesthetic appearance.
Preparing for winter
In the absence of snow in regions with cold climates, the bush is covered with spruce branches or dry leaves. Barberry "Inspiration" successfully winters under snow cover. A prerequisite is to mulch the root circle with a layer of sawdust (up to 10 cm).
Reproduction
Thunberg barberry is propagated on the site using various methods.The generative method is very rarely used, since this work is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Seed germination is poor and does not produce the required amount of planting material. The advantage of generative breeding is the plant’s high resistance to infections. Thunberg's barberry grows in a temporary bed for two years, and in the third year it is assigned to a permanent plot. This method is practiced in nurseries for growing crops for commercial purposes.
Acceptable methods for gardeners:
- By dividing the mother bush. At least four strong trunks and an extensive root system are left on each part.
- By layering. Dig in the lower shoot. At the end of August, the fruit buds will form a root, the seedlings are cut, planted in a garden bed, where they grow for a year, and then placed on the site.
- By cuttings from an annual shoot. The material is planted in a temporary place and covered. After a year, Thunberg's Inspiration variety is ready for breeding.
After transfer, the crop takes root well; very rarely young seedlings die.
Diseases and pests
Thunberg's Inspiration is not considered a resistant species that can resist fungal infection. Most often affected:
- bacterial cancer;
- necrosis of the cortex;
- bacteriosis;
- powdery mildew.
The Thunberg variety “Inspiration” is treated with fungicides: “Skor”, “Maxim”, “Horus”.
Spider mites and aphids parasitize the bush. They get rid of pests with insecticides: “Aktellik”, “Enzhio”, “Aktara”. For preventive purposes, barberry is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture in the spring.
Conclusion
Barberry Thunberg "Inspiration" is a dwarf ornamental shrub. Deciduous culture attracts landscape designers with its exotic crown color. The crop is unpretentious in agricultural technology and tolerates low temperatures well.Used to create borders, hedges, and the foreground of compositions.
