Does golden barberry need some shade?

20 years ago

This seems like a no-brainer to me, I had thought that barberries were sun worshippers; however, my little golden barberry that I planted last Fall is not happy in it's full sun location. The soil is well drained and mulched, it's not croweded by anything, yet some of the leaves are thin and dropping. They don't seem to be eaten or spotted, just a bit brown and crumpled in places. The sages and the camomile planted nearby are going gangbusters, they've probably quadrupled in size (area for the camomile, it doesn't get very tall--looks great near the barberry).

Could it be self-pruning the leaves? I just double-checked and the dropping ones seem to be at the junction of branches where things are a bit crowded.

I like this bush, it is staying a nice bright yellow; the only greenish bits are leaves that are shaded a bit by it's own branches. They've lost the red rim they had in the Spring.

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Comments (6)

buyorsell888
20 years ago
I don't grow it but many of the yellow foliaged plants I do grow do need some shade or they burn.
morz8 - Washington Coast
20 years ago
jennie, mine burned in afternoon sun, well watered, until it had been in the ground two full years. It seems more resistent to burning now that it's well established. I had planted the golden foliaged, shorter barberry next to barberry Golden Ring - gold edge on red leaf - and hated to move it until giving it a really fair test. Of course I'm close to the ocean here too and we have a distinct moderating marine influence
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mdvaden_of_oregon
20 years ago
I've been told by one nurseryman that they needed shade.

And based off my experience with mine - one in sun and one in shade - he was right.
jennie
Original Author
20 years ago
Okay, I'll move it; will I damage it if I move it now? Some plants hate being moved in certain seasons.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
20 years ago
It depends on cultivar - some are much more sun tolerant than others and even need sun to develop good color ('Gold Nugget', 'Sunsation'). Older forms like 'Aurea' may not be as forgiving. Having said that, all of mine are in full sun and have never had problems with leaf scorch.
Embothrium
20 years ago
You are describing sunburn of 'Aurea'. As I remember it the oldest ones on the interior go first. Or maybe it's the uppermost part of the crown.