Berries scattered singly 
the favorite is Berberis Aquifolium, which 
means “holly-leaved.”’ But you would bet- 
ter not call it that because ‘“‘ilicifolia” 
might be translated that way and it is a very 
different species. On the Pacific Coast they 
call it the Oregon grape or ash-berry (from 
the blue berries) and we suspect that what 
the dealers in Christmas greens now advertise 
as ‘Western huckleberry”’ is the same thing. 
Fig. 1 shows the lustre of its leaves and its 
perfection as a ground cover. Fig. 3 shows 
how well the beautiful clusters of small yellow 
flowers are set off by dark, evergreen foliage. 
The attractive blue-black berries heavily 
covered with bloom ripen toward the end of 
July.. The unfolding leaves have a deli- 
cate coppery green tint which is particularly 
lovely in May. ‘The plant grows three to six 
feet high. 
THE BEST LOW GROUND-COVER 
The creeping ash-berry (Berberis repens) 
is a choice little evergreen shrub, and seldom 
grows over one foot to one and 
one-half feet tall. (See Fig. 9.) It 
spreads rapidly by underground 
shoots (stolons) and is an excel- 
lent subject for rock gardening. 
The leaves are roundish in out- 
line and dull green above. The | 
dense upright yellow flower- | 
clusters appear about May rst. 
The purplish-black berries are 
ripe in July. 
THE BEST TALL HOLLY-LIKE KIND 
Toe Japanese evergreen bar- 
berry (Berberis Japonica) is a 
highly ornamental shrub, from 
five to ten feet in height, with un-- 
branching stems. (See Fig. 2.) 
It is not hardy at Rochester, but 
from New York southward is 
satisfactory in sheltered situa- 
tions, but should be protected ° 
from the winter’s sun.. The = 
leaves are much larger than in B. 
Aquifolium, and contain usually 
from seven to thirteen leaflets, and the 
leaves differ in being stalkless. ‘The dense, 
upright clusters of yellow flowers are pro- 
duced like a tassel at the top of the stem, 
about the end of April. : 
Fig. 10. The favorite red-berried shrub for winter cheer (Berberts Thunbergit). 
Perhaps the most beautiful of the holly- 
leaved section, is the California ash-berry 
(Berberis pinnata), growing only two or three 
feet high in the East. It resembles some- 
what the common Mahonia but the leaves 
have nine to thirteen leaflets, and are shining 
deep green, with prominent spines. This 
species differs from the others in this section 
in producing its numerous dense spikes of 
yellow blossoms along the branches. It 
flowers the first week in May and ripens 
its fruits in August. It is not hardy at 
Rochester. 
AN ASTONISHING HYBRID 
Of the five kinds with simple leaves the 
first one is not evergreen at all. Neubert’s 
barberry (B. Neuberti) is placed here because 
it has the blood of the chief evergreen species 
in it, being a hybrid between B. Aquifolium 
and vulgaris. Fig. 6 shows the astonishing 
result—the old growth (at the right in the 
picture) is like that of the common barberry, 
Fig. 12. A variety of the common barberry with purplish black fruit (var. Fischer?) 
while the new growth (seen on the left) takes 
after its other parent. 
It is more interesting than valuable. As 
it drops its leaves in winter it really comes 
into competition with the best red-berried 
124 
ae tis te di bin = 
Fig. 11. The glorious clusters of the common barterry ( Berberis bulgaris) 
Berries in clusters 
barberries,and it can hardly be considered an 
improvement over them, being only tolerably 
hardy at Rochester. It grows three to six 
feet high, is of upright habit and the leaves 
are light bluish-green above and pale beneath. 
HALF-EVERGREEN BUT LONG-LEAVED 
Berberis iicifolia (See Fig. 5) comes from 
Tierra del Fuego and holds its leaves half 
through the winter. Unlike the other bar- 
berries that resemble the holly, its leaves are 
simple. They are remarkably long (about 
14 inches) and nearly as wide. ‘They are, 
however, rather dull. The plant grows four 
or five feet high and rarely flowers with us. 
THREE SMALL-LEAVED KINDS 
Darwin’s barberry (Berberis Darwint) 
grows from two to three feet tall, and has 
spiny leaves, about one inch long. It is only 
half hardy at Rochester, but it should be sat- 
isfactory in cultivation from New York 
southward. The numerous orange-colored 
blossoms are very attractive in 
june. The berries are purple. 
The box-leaved barberry (Ber- 
beris buxtfolia) has small taper- 
ing, box-like (spineless) evergreen 
leaves, and forms a neat little 
shrub from two to three feet 
hich. In a sheltered situation, 
with a little protection, it does 
fairly well at Rochester, but it 
was severely hurt during the 
‘winter of 1903-04. There is a 
low, dwarf variety of this which 
forms a dense cushion from nine 
inches to one foot high. 
The narrow-leaved barberry 
(Berberis stenophylia) is a beauti- 
ful hybrid, with slender curving 
branches and small, bluish- 
green leaves. (See Fig. 8.) The 
small slightly drooping clusters 
of large deep yellow blossoms 
are very pretty in June and 
July. It requires winter pro- 
tection at Rochester, but it 
should be hardy from New York south- 
ward. It is remarkable in lightening up a 
shrubbery, because of its feathery ap- 
pearance. 
For details of cultivation see page 148. 
