Beautyberry lives up to its name, bearing breath

Colorful
Callicarpa
Beautyberry lives up to its name, bearing breathtaking clusters of jewel-toned fruit. But which is
the best selection? Trials at Longwood Gardens
show what the shrub’s varieties have to offer.
By Elisabeth Hall and Dr. Tomasz Aniśko
The native North American beautyberry, Callicarpa
americana, has striking yellow fall color and rich purple
fruit.
Photos courtesy of Elisabeth Hall
C
Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’ was
the highest scoring beautyberry in the trials. Its
prolific purple fruits, which form handsome
clusters held close to the stems, make an
impressive display beginning in late August.
Delicate flowers cover the shrub in springtime.
6
| March 2013 | American Nurseryman
allicarpa is called beautyberry for good reason:
With its prolific, bright
purple fruit, this plant
demands attention in
its fruiting season. The
striking lavender to
deep purple color of the fruit covers the
shrub in late summer and lasts through
the autumn. There are many cultivars
available in the trade, and Longwood
Gardens in Kennett Square, Penn., put
the plants to the test to determine which
Callicarpa has the best landscape value.
At Longwood, an eight-year trial has
evaluated more than 1,200 taxa and 90
genera of landscape shrubs. These shrub
trials were designed to test plants for their
value in the landscape, and included common garden cultivars alongside plants less
common in the trade. Students, volunteers, and horticulture professionals collected data throughout the year on habit,
stems, foliage, flowers, fruits, injury, pests
and pathogens. Each plant was rated on
a scale of 1.0 to 5.0, with 1.0 being “unattractive,” 2.0 “acceptable,” 3.0 “attractive,”
4.0 “very attractive” and 5.0 “best in class.”
The plants were maintained minimally after establishment, and were only irrigated,
mulched and weeded as needed. During
these trials, 19 taxa of Callicarpa were
evaluated and a range of opinions was
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Photo courtesy of Tomasz Aniśko
Photos courtesy of Elisabeth Hall
Photos courtesy of Elisabeth Hall and Carol Warfel
Right, the cultivar C. dichotoma ‘Shirobana’ stands out
from the rest of the beautyberries with its distinctive white berries. Callicarpa dichotoma has striking,
bright purple drupes and clean lanceolate foliage (see
background, page 6). Below, the shrub has a lovely
habit, especially as the flexible branches bend under the
weight of the fruit.
gathered from amateurs and professionals alike. These species and cultivars were
compared to determine the best selection
of beautyberry.
The beauty of beautyberry
The genus Callicarpa contains approximately 140 species, with the majority occurring in eastern and southeastern
Asia. Other species occur in Australia,
Central America, and southeastern North
America. The name Callicarpa is derived
from the Greek callos, meaning beauty,
and carpos, meaning fruit. The unusual
and prolific lilac-colored fruit of beautyberry (which is actually a drupe, not a berry) is a showstopper in late summer and
fall. After leaves drop, fruit may persist for
up to six weeks.
A member of the Verbenaceae, Callicarpa has small clusters of pink or white
flowers in the spring. The flowers have less
ornamental value than the fruit as they
are very small, held close to the stem, and
covered by leaves.
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Self-sown seedlings may occur in the
garden with some species, and branches
will root if allowed to rest on the ground.
Beautyberry is self-pollinating, but some
(like the U.S. native Callicarpa americana)
perform better when planted in mass. In a
grouping, the plants have a better chance
for cross-pollination and resulting fruit
production.
There are different schools of thought
on how to prune Callicarpa: It can be treated
as a cut-back shrub and cut to 3 to 4 inches
in early spring; a few selected branches can
be cut back each year; or the plant may be
allowed to develop unrestrained on its own.
Flowering occurs on new growth and judicious pruning practices may help beautyberry create a prolific fruit display. It should
be noted that while these techniques may
be recommended, the shrubs in the trials
were not pruned and were judged as they
grew naturally. Because the shrubs were
evaluated regularly in every season, it is
possible to get a picture of how beautyberry
performs throughout the year.
Performance in spring
and summer
Beginning in spring, the ratings for all
taxa trialed were low. The relatively demure
flowers of Callicarpa cannot compete
with other spring blooms, and therefore
were not highly ranked. The flowers are
not unattractive, but they are small and
held close to the stem, usually hidden by
foliage. Comparatively, the most striking
flowers in the trials belonged to Callicarpa
shikokiana, native to China. It produced
delicate purple flowers with a pleasant fragrance noticeable in the morning, which
impressed the reviewers. This species has a
sprawling habit and is fast growing in favorable climates; it did not do well in the trials,
however, receiving low ratings due to winter dieback. Despite these setbacks, it did
produce abundant purple fruit. The shrub
may be expected to do better further south:
Jenkins Farmer, in an article titled “Beautyberry” published in the Feb. 1, 1995, issue
Continued on page 8
American Nurseryman | March 2013 |
7
Colorful Callicarpa
Continued from page 7
Photo courtesy of Tomasz Aniśko
of American Nurseryman, reported that C.
shikokiana thrived in Colombia, S.C.
Summer ratings for most of the beautyberry trialed were “acceptable.” The increase in ratings from the spring was due
to the blemish-free green foliage of the
shrub and its pleasing upright vase shape.
The various cultivars of C. dichotoma received the highest ratings of all the beautyberries during the months of June and
July. In August, things began to change
and it became clear that beautyberry was
worth the wait.
Falling for beautyberry
Beautyberry is at its best in late summer to fall. The striking purple fruit starts
to form in August and, depending on the
variety, remains attractive on the plant
through the fall. The unusual color of the
fruit makes it one of the most sought-after
plants at this time of year. One of the best
performers in the shrub trials in the fall
months was Callicarpa dichotoma. A native of China and Japan, it was introduced
to the trade in 1857. It is hardier than other species of beautyberry, although the
optimum fruit display occurs in warmer
climates. It has an upright spreading habit with long arching branches and grows
3 to 4 feet tall. Four cultivars of C. dichotoma were evaluated for their value in the
landscape.
The standout among these selections
was the cultivar ‘Winterthur’. Its uniform
habit and red new growth stood out in the
trial. The flowers of ‘Winterthur’ are moderately showy and bloom in July. Small
lavender berries peak in October and
Photo courtesy of Tomasz Aniśko
After leaves drop in the autumn, the bright purple fruit of Callicarpa japonica takes center stage.
The heavy fruit set of Callicarpa japonica var.
luxurians causes the branches to fall open and the
shrub loses its upright form.
8
| March 2013 | American Nurseryman
November, with very attractive clusters of
dark purple fruit. This cultivar had mixed
reviews in the trials, with some commenters raving over its heavy fruit production
and others lamenting the fact that the
fruit blackens and persists on the shrub
through the winter. It had an average rating of 2.6 and would make a worthy addition to any garden, but may be difficult to
find in the trade.
Another top performer, with an overall rating of 2.6, Callicarpa dichotoma
‘Early Amethyst’ received ratings of “very
attractive” during the fall. Introduced by
the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, this selection produces abundant,
deep purple fruit that is darker compared
to other cultivars. ‘Early Amethyst’ received positive ratings in the trials due
to the exceptional color of its fruit. It was
noted that pruning is essential to keep the
plant at its peak.
The purple fruit of Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Issai’ covers the shrub from September to October. The cultivar was introduced by Brookside Gardens in Maryland,
and produces abundant clusters of small,
shiny, dark purple drupes. In the trials, it
was noted that ‘Issai’ produces more fruit
than the species. In October, ‘Issai’ received “best in show,” the highest rating
possible in the trial. The average rating
was 2.5, due in part to the fact that the
fruit had a tendency to wither and overwinter on the shrub.
Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Shirobana’
grows larger than the species, sometimes
reaching 8 feet in height. This introduction from Japan produces snowy white
drupes from August through November.
The new growth in spring is a handsome
red-bronze. Moderately showy white inflorescences with a sweet subtle fragrance
are produced in late spring. It was noted
in the trial that fruit sometimes persists
on the plant over winter and turns an unattractive black. The ratings ranged from
“average” to “attractive.” The striking
white fruit makes this a plant for someone
looking to grow an unusual specimen.
Another interesting variation on
beautyberry is C. dichotoma ‘Duet’. Although too new to be included in the
shrub trials, ‘Duet’ is a variegated cultivar introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum in collaboration with Tennessee
Technological University. ‘Duet’ has white
berries from summer to mid-fall and has
proved to be a stable variegated beautyberry. So far, it is the only variegated form
of C. dichotoma available. Its white berries and interesting foliage make it a plant
worth investigating.
Another strong performer in the autumn months is Callicarpa japonica. This
beautyberry hails from Japan, where it is
called “Murasaki-shikibu.” “Murasaki”
means purple in Japanese, and “shikibu” refers to the pseudonym of a famous
Continued on page 10
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Photo courtesy of Tomasz Aniśko
Callicarpa × shirasawa sets fruit later in the season than other beautyberries, making it an interesting late fall color
in the garden.
Colorful Callicarpa
Continued from page 8
female writer of the 11th century. In
Japanese villages, the wood of this species
was used for chopsticks and for handles
of tools. C. japonica was introduced to
Western horticulture in 1845, and many
cultivars have been selected since.
One cultivar evaluated was Callicarpa japonica ‘Heavy Berry’. It has an
upright yet informal habit, which some
commentators marked as a negative
trait. The foliage is rough textured, and
the plants did not have vigorous growth
during the trials. The maroon new growth
was appreciated by evaluators, as was the
heavy berry set that occurred from August through November. The fruit is most
attractive from October to November.
‘Heavy Berry’ is considered more fruitful
than the type and did produce copious
amounts of fruit. Overall, however, this
cultivar did not perform as well as other
C. japonica cultivars in the trials, receiving
“average” overall ratings.
The best white fruiting beautyberry
in the trials, Callicarpa japonica ‘Leucocarpa’, is a shrub with an attractive
upright-rounded habit. Its clean, dark
green foliage is a welcome contrast to the
lighter gray-brown stems and white fruit,
a characteristic that sets it apart from
other beautyberries. Fruit set causes the
branches to bend with the weight, resulting in a lovely pendulous shape. The fruit
is persistent through winter, turning
black and detracting from the beauty of
the plant. (It occasionally occurred as a
chance seedling during the trials.) It was
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observed that without the fruit, this is an
average shrub; however, its white berries
make ‘Leucocarpa’ an interesting addition to the garden.
Callicarpa japonica var. luxurians is
a variety with smaller flowers and is less
hardy than the species. It has an upright
vase shape, and the foliage is dense. The
weight of the abundant, light purple fruit
causes the branches to fall open and lose
their upright structure, causing one commenter to note that other beautyberries
have better form. This variety has larger
leaves and larger flower clusters than usual. New leaves are bronze, and new stem
growth is dark purple. Moderately showy
pink flowers occur in July or August,
and light purple fruit forms in October
through December. Overall ratings place
this variety as acceptable or attractive, but
not outstanding.
Another species of beautyberry, Callicarpa membranacea (syn. Callicarpa japonica var. angustata or C. longifolia), is
from Central China, and was introduced
to horticultural trade in 1907. It has long,
narrow leaves and dark brown stems. Only
one of three plants survived in the trial at
Longwood, but according to one reviewer,
the one that flourished was “very attractive.” It merits more study.
Callicarpa × shirasawana is a hybrid
of C. japonica × C. mollis that originated in
Japan before 1895. It is a tall plant with an
excellent growth habit. It forms a dense and
upright shrub to 9 feet tall and wide. The
average fruit set peaks in October through
November. It was noted that this selection did not have the best berries out of
the beautyberries trialed, and had overall
average ratings. However, its fruit ripens
late in the season and reaches its peak in
late October through November. While it
is not the most outstanding of the beautyberries, it is a good addition for unusual
late color in the garden.
The native North American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, has a
coarser texture and larger leaves than
the Asian species. It has large, round
purple fruit that contrasts nicely with
its light green foliage. Its native range
is from Maryland to Florida and west to
Texas. In the Longwood trials, the plants
failed to establish; however, other local
gardens have reported no difficulty with
hardiness. It would make a fine addition
to a garden of native plants, especially
because it is a food source for wildlife in
the autumn.
MAX
Callicarpa mollis received the highest ratings in the
winter due to its strong structure and attractive bark.
Photo courtesy of Tomasz Aniśko
Continued on page 12
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Colorful Callicarpa
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Winter interest
As leaves fall and frost arrives, beautyberry begins to settle in for winter. Overall, the ratings in this season were lower.
Fruit has a tendency to wither and persist
on the branches, which brought down the
scores from the trials. In further observation, the amount of fruit on plants in the
winter is not overwhelming, but in many
| March 2013 | 1American Nurseryman
12Carlton_12I_0313.indd
cases does take away from the shrub’s
appearance. The branches do not have a
defined structure and are not particularly
striking. The best performer in the winter was Callicarpa mollis, a species that is
native to Japan and Korea and was introduced in 1863. It has an upright form that
is more compact than other beautyberries.
The light purple fruit is subtle and not as
showy from a distance. During the winter
months, it ranked higher than other species due to its clean branch structure and
attractive bark. Overall, C. mollis received
an average to low rating because its fall
2/8/13 2:37 PM
fruit display did not compete with other
species.
And the winner is ...
Of all the beautyberries trialed, the
overall winner was Callicarpa bodinieri
var. giraldii ‘Profusion’. This Dutch selection from seedlings of C. bodinieri var. giraldii was introduced in 1887. ‘Profusion’
has the same large, upright branching
habit of its parent and grows 4 to 6 feet
tall. It produces more fruit than the species, with copious clusters of purple berries from August to November. In some
years during the trials at Longwood, the
fruit persisted through January, with the
peak display in October.
The foliage is dark green and attractive with a slight purple cast to the petioles
and new growth. In part shade, the plant
gets lanky, so full sun is recommended.
It is fast growing and will produce fruit
within a year, an advantage for someone
looking for a quick effect in the garden.
The flowers are small and light purple. In
the winter, its tidy structural form in the
landscape led to higher ratings. Gaining a
rating of 2.7, ‘Profusion’ was overall a top
performer in the trials, providing a lasting
and spectacular fruit display.
Although it cannot be argued that
Callicarpa has four-season interest, most
agree that the fruit display in autumn
makes it a worthy addition to the garden.
It is not unattractive in other seasons, but
the spectacular fruit in the fall trumps any
doubts about its spring or summer interest. It can be used for structure in the
landscape that reveals its true glory as the
last summer days pass. With selections
such as Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii
‘Profusion’ or C. dichotoma ‘Issai’, fruiting
is sure to be extravagant and dependably
showy.
Adding one of these shrubs to the garden is a great way to provide contrast to
autumn’s prevailing warm colors of trees
and shrubs, and complements the pinks
and purples of many fall perennials. When
placed in the back of a sunny border or
bed, the plant blends into the backdrop
until August, when it proves that it has
earned the name “beautyberry.”
Elisabeth Hall is the curatorial intern
and Tomasz Aniśko is the curator of plants
at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square,
Penn. Dr. Aniśko may be contacted at
[email protected].
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