ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Pearl Glam ® beautyberry . photograph by : Proven winner
A plant with the audacity to bear the name beautyberry better present on the promise — and beautyberry does n’t disappoint . set about out in spring as a rather unassuming bush , it begins to earn its kudos in late summertime , when other plant are fade . Abundant bunch of fruit ripen into striking violet berries that brook out boldly against the warmer color tones typical of the season . Those colorful Charles Edward Berry run well after the leave fall , decorating the bare arm like burnished purple jewel .
For nurseryman appear for a more muted ornamental shrub for the fall garden , there are also lovely beautyberry cultivars with white or light pinkish yield . No matter your preference , few fruit - bearing bush can contend with beautyberries when they are at their superlative of color . The hatful of those glossy Chuck Berry string along the shrub ’s elegant arch offshoot are one of the most unexpected pleasures of the season .
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page : Basics|Types|Growing Guide|Care and Maintenance|Beautyberry Pictures|Garden use
THE BASICS
Botanical name:
Callicarpa , infer from a combination of the Greek wordscallos(beautiful ) andcarpos(fruit ) .
Plant Type:
Deciduous shrub
Hardiness:
Varies depending on the coinage , range zone 5 to 9
Height:
3 to 8 feet
Bloom time:
Beautyberries flower in clusters at almost every leaf node in belated spring to June 21 . Although attractive , the tiny pink or snowy flowers often go unnoticed because they are obscured by the foliage .
Fruit duration:
The berries ( which are actuallydrupes , or one - seeded fruit ) begin maturate in late August and rest on the plant up to six weeks or longer after the leaves accrue .
Is the fruit edible?
Yes , the berries are nontoxic to animal as well as humans . They are also on the carte du jour of more than 40 metal money of songbirds . Despite being edible , beautyberries are n’t very palatable when eaten raw because they incline to be bitter . However , they can be prepare and edulcorate to make jelly or sauce .
TYPES OF BEAUTYBERRY
There are around 140 species , but four in picky — one native to southeastern North America and three of Asian lineage — are commonly used as cosmetic garden shrubs .
American beautyberry ( Callicarpa americana ) . exposure by : Studio Barcelona / Shutterstock
American beautyberry : Callicarpa americanais one of the splashy beautyberries because of its peculiarly with child Battle of Magenta - purplish Chuck Berry that wrap tightly around the branch like beaded bracelets . This is also the big of the beautyberries , reaching 6 to 8 metrical unit marvelous with an equal spread . aboriginal to the Southeast — from Maryland to Florida and west through Texas — it grows best in climate with balmy winter and red-hot , humid summers ( Zones 6 - 10 ) .
Asian beautyberry : The three Asiatic mintage , Callicarpa japonicafrom Japan , Callicarpa bodinierifrom China , andCallicarpa dichotoma , from Japan , China , and Korea , are more dusty tolerant ( Zones 5 - 8) than their American cousin . Other separate features include a more bowed or weeping form and smaller berries that give ear from the branches in grape - like bunches . Of the three , C. dichotomais the smallest , reaching only 3 to 4 animal foot with a interchangeable spread . tone : C. dichotomahas been declared invasive in the South and eastern U.S.Learn more about where this plant is invading .
All of these species have a number of white- and purple - fruited cultivar . But if you ’re looking for something unique , tryC. americana’Welch ’s Pink ' ( a pink - fruited variety),C. dichotoma‘Duet ’ ( white Chuck Berry and motley foliage ) , and Pearl Glam ® , a newer crossbreed with dark purplish leave .
GROWING GUIDE
Soil:
Beautyberries favor moist territory rich in constituent matter . They are n’t particular about soil type , but good drainage is a must .
Light requirements:
produce in full sunlight or light shadiness ; but for optimal berry yield , a sunny fix is best .
When to plant:
Spring or fall .
Spacing:
When found beautyberry , give it plenty of room to sprawl . The system of weights of the berries often have the bush ’s flexile branches to bend , which can shade off or crowd nearby planting . As a world-wide prescript of thumb , space plants about 5 to 7 feet apart .
Propagation:
Beautyberry readily self - sow in the garden but can also be propagated from softwood cuttings . Although beautyberry is ego - pollinating , some metal money ( such asC. americana ) have a better prospect for cross - pollenation when implant in pigeonholing , which may result in high fruit yields .
Is beautyberry invasive:
As mentioned , beautyberry will readily self - sow . assure with local experts to see if this present a threat where you populate , or learn beautyberry may be look at invasive .
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Water requirements:
Although ground beautyberries can permit some drouth , under uttermost weather condition they may drop their leaves and Charles Edward Berry to compensate for the deficiency of wet . For the good functioning , be certain to conserve consistent soil moisture , giving your shrubs about an inch of water system per workweek during prolonged dry tour .
Fertilizing:
Do n’t trouble . give too much fertiliser , especially types that are high in N , will boost foliage outgrowth but at the expense of fewer flowers and berries .
Pruning:
Although beautyberry bush do n’t have to be pruned to produce fruit yr after twelvemonth , you ’ll get a more robust berry presentation by cutting them back in tardy winter or early springtime while they are still dormant . Because beautyberry blooms on new wood , a arduous pruning to just several inches above the ground wo n’t affect flower product and will keep plant looking dense and full .
Problems:
Once establish , beautyberry need very little maintenance , except for occasional pruning . They resist most foliar disease and pests . In colder grow zones , your plants may experience some dieback in winter , but they will often resprout from the solid ground in spring and create fruit that same year .
BEAUTYBERRY PICTURES
picture : Proven Winners
Pearl Glam ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersCallicarpahybrid
Zones:
5 to 8
4 to 5 groundwork
Spread:
3 to 4 foot
Do n’t just plant beautyberry for its colored decline yield . This gorgeous cross presentation majestic - distort foliage from spring until frost , providing involvement all season . In late summer , the dark parting are enhanced by white peak that yield dense bunch of violet - empurpled berries . Unlike established beautyberries that tend to straggle , this one has an upright habit that postulate less elbowroom .
Photo by Sandy Pruden / Millette Photomedia
' Early Amethyst’Callicarpa dichotoma
As the name suggests , this variety blooms and set yield several weeks earlier than other beautyberries , which permits gardeners with shorter develop season to savor the superb amethyst - color berry long before winter come . Although humble ( only about 1/8 - in in diam ) , the deep purple Charles Edward Berry are abundant and darker than those of other cultivars . They put on their best show in October , when the green foliage turns gold and coiffure off their rich gem - toned colour .
pic by : Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock
‘ Profusion’Callicarpa bodinierivar.giraldi
6 to 8
4 to 6 feet
Laden with clump of violet - majestic berry from August to November , this Dutch - bred choice is particularly illustrious for its heavy yield output and color - change foliage , which emerges bronze purpleness in spring , turns dark unripe in summertime , and deepens to a golden purple chromaticity in autumn ( visualize ) . ‘ Profusion ’ was the top performer in an 8 - year trial of beautyberries conducted by Pennsylvania’sLongwood Gardens , lauded for its long-lasting and spectacular fruit display .
exposure by : Marietta Paternoster Garr / Millette Photomedia
' Duet’Callicarpa dichotomaf.albifructa
5 to 6 feet
famous for being the first callicarpa cultivar with variegate leaf , this white - berried variety has green leave with creamy white margins that continue attractive throughout the grow season and set off the clusters of glossy white yield when they get hold of their point . Also tryC. japonica‘Snow Storm ’ , a new purple - fruited salmagundi with variegated foliage that emerges white in spring and becomes more speckled with dark-green as it get on . The bloodless and gullible gloss scheme is enhance by violet - colored leaf stems and shopping mall veins .
Photo by : Tim Ludwig / Millette Photomedia
Callicarpa dichotoma’Issai '
This showy cultivar localize itself apart from its kinsperson by remain more succinct , fruiting more heavily , and producing fruit on immature plants that are only a yr previous . An copiousness of vibrant purplish - blue berries cover the bush from September to October , do the ramification to arch to the ground under the weight of the bountiful fruit . From betimes to midsummer , lilliputian pink trumpet - form flowers peak out from the emerald - fleeceable foliation .
Photo by : Bob Mayer / The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Callicarpa japonica’Leucocarpa '
Considered to be one of the most prolific white - fruiting beautyberries , ‘ Leucocarpa ’ produces little clump of pearl - white berry at the base of every leaf node , cause the branches to bow gracefully into a endearing umbrella shape . Pale pink flowers in summer contrast beautifully with the plant ’s sinister fleeceable leafage , which turns shade of wan yellow and bronze in autumn .
Photo by : Camellia Forest Nursery
Callicarpa americana’Welch ’s pinko '
6 to 10
3 to 5 foot
Thought to be the young of a purple and white - fruited callicarpa , this blush - pinkish rendering possess a elusive charm that function particularly well in cottage garden configurations . It ’s also more compact than the distinctive American beautyberry , making it a good choice to tuck into smaller garden . Even though it ’s a hybrid , ' Welch ’s Pink ' produce seedling that remain true to typewrite and will also yield pink fruit .
GARDEN USES
Beautyberries make honorable choice for :
