<i>Berberis </i>plant ‘NCBT3’

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of Berberis thunberghii plant named ‘NCBT3’ is disclosed, characterized by a strongly upright habit and colorful orange-red foliage with gold margins. The new variety is a Berberis, typically produced as an ornamental plant.

Claims

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Berberis plant named ‘NCBT3’ as illustrated and described herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) This new barberry is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's form and foliage. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new barberry.

(2) FIG. 1 is a color photograph showing the foliage of ‘NCBT3’ taken November 2020 in Mills River, N.C.

(3) FIG. 2 is a color photograph showing the upright habit of ‘NCBT3’ taken in April 2021 in Mills River, N.C.

(4) FIG. 3 is a color photograph of the Summer foliage, in full sun of ‘NCBT3’ taken in July 2021 in Mills River, N.C.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(5) The following is a detailed description of the botanical characteristics of the new and distinct barberry cultivar known by the denomination ‘NCBT3’. The detailed description was taken on a seven-year-old field-grown plant in Mills River, N.C. in 2021. All colors cited herein refer to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.), London, Sixth Edition). Where specific dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. Classification: Botanical name.—Berberis thunbergii ‘NCBT3’. Common name.—Barberry. Plant description: Growth habit.—Densely branched, upright and columnar to vase-shaped. Height.—125 to 150 cm. Width.—70 to 80 cm. Shoots and branches: Shoots (current year's growth).—Color: Greyed-Orange (RHS 166A). Texture: Glabrous. Shoots (prior year's growth).—Color: Brown (RHS N200A). Texture: Glabrous. Branches (woody branches 2-4 years old).—Branch length: Avg. 80 cm (Range 40 to 130 cm). Branch diameter: Avg. 0.6 cm (0.2 to 1.2 cm). Color: Brown (RHS N200A) with vertical fissures of Brown (RHS N200C). Texture: Glabrous. Internode length.—Avg. 2 cm (1 to 4 cm). Leaves: Type.—Simple. Persistence.—Deciduous. Arrangement.—Alternate, whorled. Shape.—Obovate. Length of lamina.—Avg. 2.4 cm (1.5 to 3.4 cm). Width.—Avg. 1.5 cm (0.7 to 1.8 cm). Apex.—Obtuse. Base.—Attenuate. Margin.—Entire. Color of foliage receiving most sun.—Upper: Red (RHS 46A) with a narrow margin (about 0.05 cm) of Yellow (RHS 12A). Lower: Greyed-Red (RHS 182C). Color of shaded foliage within shrub and on lower branches.—Upper: Yellow-Green (RHS 144A), with some leaves having a blush of Greyed-Orange (RHS 172D). Lower: Yellow-Green (RHS 144C) with some leaves having a blush of Greyed-Orange (RHS 172D). Texture.—Glabrous. Venation.—Pinnate. Vein color.—Corresponding to the leaf color and varies from Red (RHS 46A), Yellow-Green (RHS 144A) or Greyed-Orange (RHS 172D). Leaf attachment.—Petiolate. Petiole.—Length: Avg. 0.3 cm (0.1 to 0.5 cm). Diameter: About 0.1 cm. Color: Corresponding to the leaf color and varies from Red (RHS 46A), Yellow-Green (RHS 144A) or Greyed-Orange (RHS 172D). Texture: Glabrous. Spines.—Number: 1 per node. Length: Avg. 0.5 cm (0.3 to 0.7 cm). Width: Less than 0.1 cm. Color: Greyed-Red (RHS 179B). Inflorescence: Description.—Umbellate inflorescence occurring in the axis along the underside of branches. Number of flowers per inflorescence.—1-3. Number of flowers per plant.—More than 1000. Flowering season.—April in Mills River, N.C. Inflorescence.—Diameter: Avg. 1.2 cm (0.9 to 1.8 cm). Height: About 1 cm. Flower.—Diameter: About 1 cm. Height: About 0.5 cm. Bud.—Shape: Rounded. Length: About 0.3 cm. Diameter: About 0.3 cm. Color: Red (RHS 46A). Texture: Glabrous. Petals.—Number: 5-6 petals. Arrangement: Whorled. Shape: Ovate. Length: About 0.4 cm. Width: About 0.2 cm. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Color: Yellow (RHS 8B). Texture: Glabrous. Sepal.—Number: 6. Arrangement: Whorled. Shape: Ovate. Length: About 0.5 cm. Width: About 0.3 cm. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Color: Yellow (RHS 8B), often with a stripe of Red (RHS 46A) on the back of the sepal. Texture: Glabrous. Peduncle.—Length: Less than 1 cm. Diameter: Less than 0.1 cm. Color: Varies from Yellow (RHS 8B) to Red (RHS 46C). Texture: Glabrous. Reproductive organs: Gynoecium.—Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: About 0.2 cm. Stigma shape: Disc-shaped. Stigma color: Yellow-Green (RHS 150B). Style length: Less than 0.2 cm. Style color: Greyed-Yellow (RHS 160C). Androecium.—Stamen number: 5-6. Filament length: About 0.2 cm. Filament color: Yellow (RHS 8B). Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length: About 0.1 cm. Anther color: Yellow (RHS 8B). Amount of pollen: Average. Pollen color: Yellow (RHS 8B). Fruit and seed: Fruit.—Type: Drupe. Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 0.8 cm. Width: About 0.5 cm. Color: Red (RHS 46B). Texture: Glabrous. Seed.—Number per fruit: 1 to 2. Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 0.6 cm. Width: About 0.3 cm. Color: Brown (RHS 200B). Texture: Glabrous, shiny. Disease and insect resistance: ‘NCBT3’ is documented to be resistant to Wheat Rust (Puccinia spp.) as determined by the USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, 2017. Neither resistance nor susceptibility to other diseases and pests of Berberis have been observed. Cold hardiness: At least USDA zone 6b; testing has not been completed in colder zones.