Callicarpa: growing, pruning & propagating beautyberry shrubs
Callicarpa shrubs bear striking clusters of purple fruits and some species display magnificent autumn foliage. Find out about this unique genus of shrubs, as well as how to grow, prune, propagate and care for them.
Callicarpa, commonly known as beautyberry, is a genus of shrubs belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae), although before modern genetic studies, it was believed to be in the verbena family (Verbenaceae). There are approximately 100 different species which originate from the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Australia and North and Central America. The name “callicarpa” comes from the Greek word “kallíkarpos” which roughly translates to “rich in beautiful fruit”. In our latitudes, the beautyberry was introduced as an ornamental shrub. There are currently about six Callicarpa species that are propagated and sold in nurseries. In this article, we introduce you to some of the most popular species of this beautiful purple berried bush and give tips on growing it in your own garden.
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Callicarpa: foliage, flowers and fruits
Callicarpa is a deciduous shrub with pointed oval leaves around 5 to 12 cm long arranged opposite each other on the stem. It usually grows 2 to 3 metres tall, but in exceptional cases it can reach 4 metres high and 2.5 metres wide. In autumn, the matte green, almost velvety foliage turns light yellow to orange. Beautyberry shrubs bloom from June to August, during which time their delicate light purple flowers attract lots of bees, bumblebees, and hoverflies. Even young beautyberry plants can produce these flowerheads on two-year-old wood.
After flowering, Callicarpa shrubs form large umbels of small (up to 4 mm in diameter) berries. These are green at first before ripening to a glossy, vibrant purple, white or blue in autumn, depending on variety. Lasting until around December, these fruits add a touch of colour to the otherwise dreary winter landscape. They also provide food for birds during the barren winter months.
Our favourite beautyberry species and varieties
Here are some of the most popular Callicarpa varieties and species:
- Callicarpa americana: Also known as the American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana grows around 1.8 to 2.4 m high and has velvety leaves and red-purple berries.
- Callicarpa bodinieri ˈMagical Purple Giantˈ: Growing up to 3 m tall. This Callicarpa variety has light purple fruits and red-orange autumn foliage.
- Callicarpa bodinieri ˈProfusion’: Around 2 to 4 m tall and up to 2.5 m wide. This deciduous beautyberry shrub has light yellow to orange autumn foliage.
- Callicarpa dichotoma ˈIssaiˈ: Small, winter hardy purple beautyberry cultivar growing up to 2 m tall and 1.5 m wide. It produces small, red-purple fruits and purple foliage in the autumn.
- Callicarpa giraldii: Chinese beautyberry reaching 2 to 3 m in height and width. It produces glossy purple fruits (around 4 mm in diameter) in the autumn.
- Callicarpa japonica ˈLeucocarpaˈ: Deciduous Japanese beautyberry growing to around 1.5 to 2.5 m tall and wide. This variety produces white fruits that contrast brilliantly against the foliage.
Is Callicarpa poisonous?
It is often said that Callicarpa plants are toxic but this is actually something of a myth. The ripe fruits are not poisonous to humans or pets such as cats and dogs. However, raw berries should only be eaten in small amounts. They are best enjoyed cooked into jams or fermented into beautyberry wine. Other parts of the plant such as the roots, bark and leaves have even been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of illnesses. Callicarpa berries are also edible to birds and offer much needed food in the barren winter months.
Growing Callicarpa
As with most shrubs, the best time to plant beautyberry is in late autumn, from October to November. It is also possible to plant them in early spring around March. You can either plant beautyberry individually or plant several together at a spacing of about 2 metres.
Callicarpa prefers a sunny yet sheltered spot in the garden. The soil should be light to moderately heavy, moist and neutral to acidic. They do not do well in lime-rich or chalky soils as it is far too alkaline and the plant will die after just a few short years. Unfortunately, simply adding a more acidic soil to the area will not help much either because the roots will ultimately grow down and reach the alkaline soil again. Neutral or slightly alkaline soils, in contrast, can be made suitable for beautyberry bushes by working in some acidic potting soil, such as ericaceous or rhododendron compost.
Before planting, loosen the soil and thoroughly work in some of the acidic potting compost. As Callicarpa plants tend to grow vertical rather than wide branching roots, you will need to work in the acidic soil quite deep into the planting hole. Next, simply place your beautyberry shrub in the prepared planting hole and fill it with soil. To ensure the roots have a good contact with the soil, press everything down firmly and water well. Be sure to provide good winter protection for young shrubs up to three-years-old, especially when planting new shrubs in late autumn.
Tip: Adding a mulch layer of bark is a good idea. Over time, organisms in the soil will break down the bark which will in turn keep the soil acidic, maintaining and improving the environment for your beautyberry shrubs. However, when it decomposes, mulch material binds nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plants. To compensate for this and to prevent deficiency symptoms, it makes sense to apply fertiliser to provide your shrubs with sufficient nutrients. We can recommend our slow-release fertiliser, Plantura All Purpose Plant Food, which you simply work into the soil beneath the mulch layer.
- Perfect for a variety of plants in the garden & on the balcony
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Summary: How to plant beautyberry
- Planting time: Late autumn or early spring
- Position: Sunny but sheltered
- Soil: Neutral to acidic
- Plant spacing: About 2 metres
Callicarpa care
As they are fairly low-maintenance plants, Callicarpa are perfect for beginners. Here are our tips on how to keep yours happy and healthy.
Watering and fertilising
Callicarpa prefers an even water supply. Never let it dry out completely, even in midsummer. During hot summers, water young plants in the morning and cover the soil with a mulch layer of bark, plant cuttings or leaves to reduce evaporation. Older, more established shrubs can usually manage without any additional watering. Potted Callicarpa, however, must be watered regularly. The potted plants do not like having wet feet either. So to prevent waterlogging, create a 3 to 5 cm thick drainage layer (for instance with clay shards or pebbles) at the bottom of the pot.
Generally speaking, beautyberry shrubs do not require fertilising. However, you can support freshly planted shrubs by working some slow-release fertiliser into the soil, such as our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food. Over time, organisms in the soil will break down this granular fertiliser, gradually releasing nutrients to the plant’s roots over a long period of time.
Pruning Callicarpa
Callicarpa plants tolerate pruning well. You can give them a light pruning straight after flowering to keep them in shape. If the shrubs become too large and begin to wither or produce less flowers, you may need to carry out a heavier pruning whereby you shorten the branches by about half. This is usually necessary about every three to four years. It is best to do it when the beautyberry is dormant between November and the beginning of March. You should also cut back any branches that are too long, overgrown, growing inwards or damaged by frost using a pair of sharp garden shears. After pruning, Callicarpa will sprout new growth. However, it will not bear flowers and fruit again until the following year on older wood.
How to propagate beautyberry
Beautyberry can be propagated either by seed or cuttings. You can sow Callicarpa seeds, which are found within the berry-shaped drupes, indoors all year round. To do this, first soak the seeds in lukewarm water for about 24 hours before sowing. Fill a growing tray or some pots with a low-nutrient growing medium, such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seedling Compost, and sow the soaked seeds about 1 cm deep in the soil. Then water well and leave to germinate at about 20 °C. As long as the soil is kept evenly moist and warm, the seeds should only take two to three weeks to germinate. A few weeks after that, the first true leaves will have formed. At this point you can either repot the plants or plant them out.
- Perfect for herbs as well as sowing, propagating & transplanting
- For aromatic herbs & healthy seedlings with strong roots
- Peat-free & organic soil: CO2-saving composition
Taking Callicarpa cuttings is easy. Simply take a roughly 10 cm length cutting from the young, one-year-old shoots in June and August. Make sure the cuttings have no berries and remove all but the very top leaves. Fill a pot with a mixture of potting soil and one third sand. Place the cuttings into it, leaving only the top leaves and about 1 cm of stem sticking out of the soil. Place the cuttings in a cool, bright place at around 10 to 15 °C and keep the soil moist for the next few weeks. During the winter, bring the rooted Callicarpa inside to protect against frost and water sparingly. You can then plant your newly propagated Callicarpa outside the following spring.
Is beautyberry winter hardy?
For the most part, beautyberry shrubs are winter hardy in the UK. Many varieties, such as Callicarpa dichotoma ˈIssaiˈ, can also tolerate colder temperatures as low as -20 °C. However, harsh winters can be particularly tough on young beautyberry plants and cause large portions of the plant to suffer frost damage. To protect your plants in winter, put leaves and compost around the base of the shrubs and cover young or freshly planted Callicarpa with fleece or jute. Once they reach about three years old, all beautyberry shrubs should be winter hardy. However, potted beautyberry shrubs should still be overwintered in frost-free conditions (like in a garden shed) as there is a risk that the soil in the pot will freeze through along with the sensitive Callicarpa roots and the whole plant will die.
The shadbush (Amelanchier), known by many other names including serviceberry, juneberry tree, or chuckley pear, is another beautiful woody plant with gorgeous autumn colouring. It also produces delicious fruit and provides a rich source of food for bees and birds alike.
