Berberis ottawensis 'Superba'

Normal to large shrub, 3-4 m tall, up to 2 (3) m wide; shoots with strong thorns, arching, lilting to the ground; fast-growing.

Conspicuous and plentiful; densely packed, saturated yellow panicles, May; strong, pungent smell.

Light red berries, persistent into winter, very sour but edible.

Strong brown-red or even black-red with a metallic shimmer, in autumn a colourful display ranging from flame-orange to dark red.

Sun; loses its typical leaf colour in shade; frost hardy; tolerates urban and industrial pollution.

Any garden soil, fresh to dry.

Very old specimens have a mixed grey-brown colour; cut back every few years to give them a more intense black-red colour.

Zone 6