Kukemarjalehine kukerpuu Berberis empetrifolia

Barberries can be grown in most well-drained soil; they will not survive ground that is waterlogged. It is better for the deciduous kinds to be grown in full sun, since it enhances their fall colors, though in areas with hot summers some shade would be beneficial. The evergreen types should be grown in dappled shade. Regular pruning isn t necessary, as these plants naturally grow into shapely bushes. However, if these plants outgrow their allotted spaces, they may be cut back when they ve finished flowering. It should be noted that some Barberries are hosts to a rust disease that attacks wheat. In some areas of the U.S. and Canada it is illegal to grow them at all, or just those that carry the disease.

Seeds can be sown as soon as they are ripe or in early spring, in flats or pots filled with sandy soil in cold frames. When the plants are large enough to handle, they are picked out and grown in flats or singly in small pots and eventually transferred to a nursery border. Seeds may also be sown directly outdoors in a prepared bed in a shady location. Cuttings may be taken of special varieties that don t come true from seeds. Short shoots, 3 or 4 inches long, may be taken in July or August and inserted in a bed of sand or sand and peat moss, in a cold frame. After about 6 months they should have enough roots and can be transplanted. Suckers may also be detached from large plants and planted to form new bushes.