Berberis x frikartii 'AMSTELVEEN'

Frikart’s barberry is a garden hybrid of b.candidula and b.verruculosa, both of Chinese origin and hardy down to -34°C. It is a low, evergreen shrub producing masses of flowers. Its low growth is frequently used in short, informal hedges, and thanks to its durability you can often find it in public landscapes with limited or zero maintenance.

Amstelveen is a Dutch variety of Frikart’s barberry from around 1960. It is a low, compact, fast growing shrub with elegant, arching branches. They are densely covered with small, 2-3 cm long, elliptic leaves with a sharp tip. They are dark green and glossy above, and silvery grey on the reverse. From April till May appears a profusion of small, vibrant yellow flowers that are followed by small, spherical, glaucous to blue-black, non-poisonous fruit. The shrub is rather well-behaved and neat, no pruning is necessary. Still, it can be pruned or trimmed right after flowering, never in spring – you would lose the flowers, or lightly clipped to shapes in midsummer. Branches have short spines.

Evergreen barberries will grow in almost any well-drained soil that will not dry out for longer than a month. Having said that we need to add that this hybrid is so tough that it can withstand long periods of summer drought without extra watering (in continental climate of zones 5 and 6). No fertilizing is needed but is possible, and will result in a bushier, faster growing shrub with larger leaves. It does not need mulching but will benefit from constant moisture. It is very hardy to min. -29°C (USDA zone 5), but thanks to its parents it might take a deeper frost.

Last update 13-02-2020