Quackin Grass Nursery

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summer color close up

Berberis thunbergii ‘Red Hot’ – is a seedling selection made by Professor Jonathan Lehrer who spied it while doing Berberis thunbergii research as an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut. The new growth of ‘Red Hot’ is a scarlet orange-red, very much the color of the hot sauce for which Jonathan appropriately named this cultivar. The color is difficult to capture and these pics, though close, are not demonstrating the orange undertone in the red. The interior foliage is a light and bright cool green - the color of a nearly fluorescent granny smilth apple green, setting-off the fiery outer leaves. Some of the foliage demonstrates a fine lemon-lime halo at leaf margins. Autumn color is rich, deep and fiery red to dark red-purple before dropping. 'Red Hot' is very upright the first couple of years. Older stems arch out and away from the center or the shrub forming a vase shaped outline with a rounded top. There is no other Japanese Barberry color form like this. It is unique. Do not order 'Red Hot' if your state has outlawed the planting and selling of Berberis thunbergii. Plant 'Red Hot' where it can be grown and not be an invasive nuisance... and folks - there are places in the U.S where this plant is not the invasive nuisance that it is in the northeast so don't send me hate mail... Do unto others... Plant ‘Red Hot’ in fertile draining soil sited in full sun for best foliage color. Cutting grown.