PlantFiles: Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii 'Helmond Pillar'

I planted one as a test in my front garden which gets full scorching unblocked sun all day in the summer and plenty of rough wet snowy weather in the winter. It is a slow grower and took a few years to get established but is now very robust and beautiful.

I'm in Philadelphia (zone 6) and we got hit with a very brutal winter. I have sky pencils as well and they took a beating from heavy snow, but the berberis was undamaged. It was better established by a year, but still if I had to, I'd bet on it over the ilex as a strong performer in cold climates.

Spring leaf emergence is rather late. I almost gave up on them, figuring they were dead, but decided to give them a bit longer...so glad I did! Can't beat the color, and the leaves remained colorful and intact this winter.

Update: Unlike last year, this winter I pruned them to just a few inches and new growth appeared in March, a whole month earlier.

Barberry is a good deer resistant plant. Isn't compatible with grains such as Wheat or Rye.

Beautiful shrub with bright crimson berries in December.Thorney,making an excellent barrier hedge.Somewhat pricey as Nursery plants.