How to prune darwin's barberry

Immediately after flowering, typically April–May. Wearing thick leather gloves, shorten flowered shoots back to strong laterals just after blooms drop. Remove up to one-third of the oldest stems at ground level to encourage vigorous new shoots from the base. Do not cut back hard into bare old wood — unlike deciduous shrubs, Darwin's barberry regrows slowly from old stems.

Annually after flowering. Darwin's Barberry (Berberis darwinii) is an evergreen, spring-flowering shrub that should be pruned immediately after flowering — pruning at other times removes flower buds or developing berries. Wear stout gloves. Lightly trim for shape, removing up to one-third of the oldest stems at the base each year. Avoid hard cutting into old wood, which regrows reluctantly.

Wearing thick leather gloves, shorten flowered shoots back to strong laterals just after blooms drop. Remove up to one-third of the oldest stems at ground level to encourage vigorous new shoots from the base. Do not cut back hard into bare old wood — unlike deciduous shrubs, Darwin's barberry regrows slowly from old stems.