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Botanical name: Callicarpa americana
A native shrub with lovely lavender-pink flowers in summer, followed by interesting clusters of bright purple berries along the arching branches; best in full sun but tolerates light shade; yellow-green fall color; flowers and berries appear on new growth.
| Hardiness zone | 5b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | shell pink |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | arching |
| Mature height | 5 feet |
| Spread | 5 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | Texas Native |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
American Beautyberry is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent purple berries from late summer to late fall. It has shell pink trumpet-shaped flowers with creamy white overtones along the branches from early to mid summer, which are interesting on close inspection. It has green foliage throughout the season. The oval leaves turn yellow and light green in fall.
American Beautyberry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
American Beautyberry is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, General Garden Use, Container Planting
American Beautyberry will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is native to parts of our region.
American Beautyberry makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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