Beautyberry

Shrub

Callicarpa bodinieri

Beautyberry

Deciduous shrub grown for its astonishing clusters of glossy violet berries that cling to bare stems after leaf fall.

  • Full sun, Partial shade
  • 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft)
  • 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft)
  • H6 · Zone 6
  • July–August
  • Deciduous

Overview

Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub from southern China and Indochina. Small lilac flowers in midsummer are followed by clusters of glossy, violet-purple berries that stay on the bare stems well into winter, and the leaves often turn pink-purple in autumn.

It grows to about 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft) and is hardy to about −20°C (−4°F), USDA zones 5–8. It berries best in sun and fertile, well-drained soil, and plants in groups crop more heavily. It copes with warm, humid summers.

The berries are bitter and not for eating.

At a Glance

Sun Full sun, Partial shade
Height 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft)
Spread 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft)
Hardiness H6 · Zone 6
Flowers July–August
Soil Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture Moist well drained
Habit Rounded, Upright
Water Moderate
Maintenance Easy

Growing Conditions

Min. Temperature -20°C (-4°F)
pH Range 5.5–8
Fertility Average
Drainage Free Draining

Aspect Suitability

  • East-facing
  • South-facing
  • West-facing

Soil Tolerance

  • Clay
  • Chalk
  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Acid
  • Neutral pH
  • Alkaline

Foliage

Persistence Deciduous
Colour Dark green, Pink-purple
Leaf shape / texture Lance-shaped
  • Autumn colour

Foliage interest: April–November

Seasonal Timeline

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Flowering
Foliage
Fruiting
Propagate
  • Flowering Jul Aug
  • Foliage Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
  • Fruiting Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Propagate May Jun Jul Aug

How to propagate

Ways to grow more Beautyberry: the usual steps for each method.

Softwood cuttings May–Jun Takes a little care

You'll need: Clean, sharp secateurs or a knife, small pots, gritty compost (half compost, half grit or perlite), a plastic bag, and rooting powder if you have it.

  1. Early in the morning, cut soft, non-flowering shoot tips about 5 to 10 cm long, and keep them in a plastic bag so they don't wilt.
  2. Trim each one just below a leaf joint and take off the lower leaves, leaving two or three at the top.
  3. Dip the cut end in rooting powder if you have some.
  4. Push them into the edge of a pot of gritty compost so their leaves don't touch, and water them in.
  5. Cover with a clear bag or put them in a propagator, somewhere bright but out of direct sun.
How long
Roots in about 3 to 6 weeks.
It's worked when
New growth at the tips, and roots showing through the pot's holes.
Then
Pot each one up on its own and grow it on. Keep young plants frost-free through their first winter.
Semi-ripe cuttings Jul–Aug Takes a little care

You'll need: Clean, sharp secateurs, small pots, gritty compost, and rooting powder if you have it.

  1. Choose this year's shoots that are firm at the base but still soft at the tip, and cut pieces 10 to 15 cm long.
  2. Trim just below a leaf joint and take off the lower leaves; pinch out the soft tip.
  3. Dip the cut end in rooting powder if you have some.
  4. Push them into pots of gritty compost, water them in and cover with a clear bag.
  5. Keep them in a cold frame, greenhouse or bright windowsill out of direct sun.
How long
Roots in about 6 to 10 weeks.
It's worked when
New leaves, and the cutting resists when you tug it gently.
Then
Keep them somewhere cool and frost-free over winter, and pot them up separately in spring.
From seed May Easy

You'll need: Seed compost, a seed tray or small pots, labels, and a clear lid or plastic bag.

  1. Fill a tray or pots with seed compost, level it and firm it gently.
  2. Water the compost and let it drain.
  3. Sow the seeds thinly on top. Cover them with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite about as deep as the seed is big; leave tiny seeds uncovered.
  4. Label them, cover with a clear lid or bag, and keep them somewhere bright but out of hot sun.
  5. Keep the compost just moist, and take the cover off once seedlings appear.
How long
Usually comes up in 1 to 3 weeks.
It's worked when
Seedlings with their first pair of leaves.
Then
When each has its first true leaves, prick them out into their own small pots, holding them by a leaf, never the stem. Harden them off for a week or two before planting out.

Cuttings root well with gentle bottom heat; plant in groups for heavier berrying.

Garden Design

Works well in: Cottage, Wildlife-friendly, Woodland / Shade

Clusters of metallic violet berries on bare stems are startling in late autumn; plant two or three together.

Companion planting: Grasses, Asters, Evergreen shrubs

Wildlife Value

  • Bees
  • Butterflies
  • Birds
  • RHS Plants for Pollinators

Food for birds: January, December