Berberis x lologensis 'APRICOT QUEEN'

Lolog’s barberry is a garden hybrid between berberis darwinii and berberis linearifolia. It is valued for abundant, colourful flowering, and evergreen leaves. It is less known to bear edible fruit.

Apricot Queen is a popular variety of Lolog’s barberry producing incredible quantity of rich golden-orange flowers in May. They are about 2cm long, and hang in clusters of 3-7 flowers under every leaf so you can imagine how glowing it is in full bloom. Flowering lasts for as long as 4 weeks, and a few flowers appear sporadically again from early summer. They are followed by small, dark purple blue edible fruit which is popular mostly among kids who like its partly sweet, acidic flavour. They don’t even mind the prickly thorns alongside every branch. Evergreen leaves are leathery, dark green, highly glossy, shaped like Chinese holly leaves (sharp tip and 2-4 side spikes).

Lolog’s barberry grows moderately and unpruned it can get quite leggy and unsightly so annual pruning is recommended right after flowering. This way it will get much denser and will keep its lower branches fully leaved. Evergreen barberries will grow in almost any well-drained soil, no fertilizing needed. Hardy to -24°C (USDA zone 6).

Last update 20-03-2013