Purple Berberis A medium sized shrub with tall arching stems, bronze-purple foliage which has vivid red autumn colour. The purple leaf of this deciduous Japanese barberry makes it stand out from the crowd. It has yellow cup-shaped flowers in Spring; an abundance of scarlet berries adorn its spiny branches in the Autumn. Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea makes a superb well clipped low to medium-high hedge. It will grow in most soils including poor ones, birds appreciate this dense spiny hedge for nesting and food. Site: Tolerates exposureSoil: Any well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeSeason of Interest: Purple foliage colour in Summer, berries and good colour in AutumnHardiness: Fully hardyHeight: 5.5ft (1.8m) Spread: 4ft(1.2m)Hedge spacing: 18'' (45cm) apart