Barberry 'Amstelveen'

Barberry ‘Amstelveen’ is a slow-growing, compact shrub with spiny stems that make great dense border hedges. Frikartii are garden hybrids of barberry, which means they have been bred specifically for garden – and in this particular case hedging – purposes. There are two varieties available, ‘Telstar’ and ‘Amstelveen’. Frikartii derive from the natural species berberis verruculosa, which it very closely resembles in habit. Frikartii, however, are slightly more hardy and make very shapely hedges. This is especially true for the ‘Amstelveen’ cultivar. ‘Amstelveen’ will create a neat evergreen hedge with gently arching stems that bear yellow flowers from April to May.

The yellow flowers develop into bluish black fruit. Berberis ‘Amstelveen’ has glossy dark green foliage and can grow to 1.5m tall. It can be cultivated in any position, but it has a preference for full sun or partial shade. This, however, is only truly relevant if you like the flowers – a lack of sunlight may impair flowering. ‘Amstelveen’ is a vigorous plant and tolerates a wide variety of soils. Waterlogging should be avoided. Berberis ‘Amstelveen’ can be trimmed to shape annually after flowering, but do remember to wear a good pair of gloves to protect you from the vicious thorns.