Bagatelle Dwarf Red-Purple Barberry

‘Bagatelle’ is a very compact Japanese barberry that forms a low, rounded mound of deep red-purple foliage. Leaves become brighter in autumn, and small pale yellow flowers are followed by red berries. The [Royal Horticultural Society](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/92715/berberis-thunbergii-f-atropurpurea-bagatelle/details) lists the cultivar as accepted; the [Missouri Botanical Garden](https://plantfinder.mobot.org/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=260657) describes a roughly 1½-foot mound and its seasonal flowers and fruit. ## Landscape Use Place Bagatelle at the front of a sunny border, in a rock garden, or as a low edging where its dense outline and spines can form a modest barrier. It also suits a small-space specimen planting. ## Seasonal Interest Deep red-purple leaves provide the main show. Tiny yellow flowers often sit partly hidden among the foliage in late April or early May; bright red berries follow in fall and may persist into winter. ## Mature Size Missouri Botanical Garden gives 1–1½ feet high and wide. RHS calls it about 30 cm tall and gives a broader maximum range of 0.1–0.5 m. The current metric dimensions are retained as plausible for this compact cultivar; labels follow the more specific Missouri profile. ## Siting and Soil Full sun produces the best flowering and fruiting, though the RHS and Missouri Botanical Garden report that partial shade is tolerated. Use average, well-drained soil and avoid persistently wet ground. Missouri Botanical Garden lists USDA zones 4–8. ## Maintenance Water through establishment, then during long dry spells. The Missouri Botanical Garden describes this shrub as drought tolerant and low maintenance. Its thorny branches need only occasional shaping; protect hands when pruning.