'Crimson Pygmy' Barberry (Berberis thunbergii 'Crimson Pygmy') is a great answer for gardeners who need a good, small, slow-growing, hardy shrub to add year-'round  color to the landscape. The plant does well in sun or partial shade. New growth is bright red and turns to a deep crimson-burgundy, and the plant bears small red berries in fall through winter. It grows to 2 feet tall with a 3-foot spread, and does well even in harsh exposures and poor soils.