Position
- Full sun or partial shade
- A sheltered position is beneficial, especially in exposed areas.
Hardiness
- Hardy to -15°C (5°F)
- It can tolerate colder temperatures with good drainage and winter protection (mulch)
Soil Type
- Well-drained soil is essential
- It tolerates various soil types, including clay, but avoid waterlogged conditions.
Soil PH
- Adaptable; tolerates a range from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
- Neutral pH is generally ideal
- Grab a soil test kit and ensure the perfect conditions for growth
Height
- Typically reaches 2.5-4 metres (8-13 feet) tall and wide
Seasons of Interest
- Summer interest from its flowers (June-August)
- Primarily autumn and winter interest from its berries (lasting well into winter)
- The foliage turns attractive shades of purple in the autumn.
Additional Notes
Planting: Plant several shrubs together for best berry production (cross-pollination). Spring planting is recommended.
Pruning: Minimal pruning needed, but light pruning in early spring to maintain shape and remove dead/damaged wood is beneficial.
Pests & Diseases: Generally pest and disease resistant, though slugs may be problematic in damp conditions.
Maintenance: Relatively low maintenance. Water regularly, especially during dry periods. A balanced fertiliser in spring can improve growth and flowering/fruiting.
Soil Improvement: If the soil is heavy clay, improve drainage by adding organic matter such as well-rotted manure or compost before planting.
Callicarpa bodinieri: The Stunning Beauty Berry for Your Garden
This guide delves into the captivating world of Callicarpa bodinieri, specifically the popular ‘Profusion’ variety. You can learn everything about this striking shrub, from planting and care to its stunning autumn display. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, this comprehensive guide will help you cultivate this prize-winning plant.
What is Callicarpa bodinieri?
Callicarpa bodinieri, known as the beauty berry, is a deciduous shrub boasting vibrant colour. This medium-sized plant brings a dramatic display to the autumn garden. The Callicarpa bodinieri Profusion is especially prized. Its striking purple berries appear on bare branches, creating a truly unforgettable autumn and winter spectacle. This is a relatively low-maintenance plant once established. This showy plant is perfect for adding colour to any garden.
Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ is a particularly popular cultivar known for its abundant clusters of vibrant purple berries. This beautyberry offers unique visual interest, contrasting its dark green summer foliage with the bare branches laden with tiny lilac berries in autumn.
Why Choose Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’?
The Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ variety (also known as Callicarpa bodinieri var giraldii Profusion) stands out for its incredible abundance of berries. This plant, reaching 3m in height, provides a permanent framework for your garden. This AGM (Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society) winner ensures vibrant colour in even the most challenging conditions.
Its remarkable berry production and relatively easy care requirements make this plant a favourite among gardeners. The plant’s attractive foliage throughout the year adds appeal to this already exceptional garden plant. The mature plant is a truly stunning sight.
How to Plant Callicarpa bodinieri?
Selecting the right spot is key to successful cultivation. Callicarpa bodinieri prefers well-drained soil, and a full sun or partial shade position is ideal. While they tolerate a range of conditions, well-drained soil promotes optimal growth. Avoid lime-rich soil, to avoid problems with the young foliage. Planting this shrub in a sunny location is recommended to help the plant thrive and produce plentiful fruit.
Plant several plants together to encourage cross-pollination and ensure the best possible fruit production. This will increase the prolific display of berries that the plant is known for. Planting in early spring gives the roots the best chance to establish themselves before winter, ensuring a vibrant display of violet berries.
Caring for Your Callicarpa bodinieri
Watering is essential, especially during dry spells. Please make sure the soil remains moist, but avoid waterlogging. This plant doesn’t usually require heavy pruning. However, you can prune in early spring, shaping the plant to maintain your desired size and form. Light pruning will keep your plant looking good and producing more berries each season.
Feeding your Callicarpa bodinieri is essential, particularly in the early years. A balanced fertiliser will help your plant grow and produce masses of fruit. This ensures vibrant colour and a generous display of berries. Remember, a well-fed plant is a happy and healthy plant.
What are the key features of Callicarpa bodinieri Profusion?
Callicarpa bodinieri Profusion is as eye-catching for its foliage and flowers as for its famous berries. The generously sized leaves, typically oval with a slightly serrated edge, emerge in spring with a fresh, deep green hue that provides a lush backdrop through the summer months. As the seasons change, so does the foliage—the leaves take on a stunning bronze to purplish tinge in autumn, adding an extra splash of colour before they fall.
The plant produces clusters of tiny, delicate flowers from midsummer. These are usually pinkish-lilac in colour and appear in small cymes along the stems. While individually relatively modest, when viewed en masse, they add a soft, ornamental quality that attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. Although the vivid purple berries steal the show later in the year, the flowers and seasonal leaf colour provide valuable ornamental interest in their own right.
When does Callicarpa bodinieri flower and fruit?
The Callicarpa bodinieri shrub is deciduous. In summer, it displays tiny star-shaped lilac-coloured flowers, which are followed by large clusters of vibrant purple berries. These berries typically appear in late summer and persist through autumn and winter, often remaining long after the leaves have fallen. This provides a unique and striking display of colourful berries against bare branches laden with berries.
What’s the best way to prune Callicarpa bodinieri?
Pruning is usually unnecessary, but can be done in early spring to maintain shape and size. Heavy pruning should be avoided, as it can reduce flowering and fruiting. Remove dead or damaged branches and lightly prune the stem to maintain the plant’s desired form. This ensures a healthy and visually appealing plant.
How hardy is Callicarpa bodinieri?
Callicarpa bodinieri is a robust and reliably hardy shrub, capable of withstanding temperatures as low as -15°C (5°F). This makes it suitable for most parts of the UK, including regions that experience cold, frosty winters. Its resilience allows gardeners to enjoy its striking purple berries and attractive foliage without worrying about extensive winter damage.
However, it’s worth giving the plant extra protection in particularly exposed or colder areas, especially those prone to freezing winds or prolonged frosts. Applying a generous layer of mulch around the base in late autumn will help insulate the roots and conserve soil warmth. If growing it in a more open site, consider placing it near a sheltered wall or other shrubs to buffer it from the harshest conditions.
Thanks to its cold tolerance, Callicarpa bodinieri is a dependable and eye-catching addition to UK gardens all year round.
What kind of soil does Callicarpa bodinieri prefer?
Callicarpa bodinieri grows best in moist, well-drained soil, but it’s pleasantly adaptable and tolerates a range of soil types as long as adequate drainage. Ideally, the soil should be fertile, with a good balance of organic matter to help retain moisture without becoming heavy or waterlogged. Avoid soils that stay overly wet or compacted, as excessive moisture around the roots can cause problems like root rot or fungal diseases, which may weaken the plant and affect berry production.
Whether your garden soil is loamy, sandy, or even slightly clay-based, you can usually grow Callicarpa bodinieri successfully by improving the structure with compost or well-rotted organic matter. This enhances drainage and feeds the plant over time, encouraging vigorous growth and better flowering and fruiting. A neutral to slightly acidic pH is ideal, but the shrub is generally not too fussy as long as extreme conditions are avoided. Before planting, it’s a good idea to check your soil’s pH using a simple test kit or meter, especially if you’re unsure of your garden’s natural soil type.
What are the potential problems with Callicarpa bodinieri?
Callicarpa bodinieri is known for being a robust and reliable shrub, but like most garden plants, it isn’t entirely immune to problems. Slugs and snails can sometimes be an issue, particularly when young shoots emerge in spring. These pests can cause noticeable damage to new growth, so it’s worth keeping an eye out and using deterrents like slug traps, copper tape, or wildlife-friendly pellets as needed.
Aside from slugs, Callicarpa is remarkably low-maintenance and rarely troubled by serious pests or diseases. However, plants may occasionally look sparse or produce fewer berries if grown in overly dry, poor soil or deep shade. Ensuring your shrub has the right conditions—moist, well-drained soil and a sunny to partially shaded spot—will help avoid most problems. With a bit of attention early on, this striking plant will reward you with vibrant foliage and spectacular berries for years to come.
From Darren’s Patch
Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ has become one of my favourite shrubs for injecting some real “wow” factor into the garden as autumn sets in. There’s something magical about those vivid purple berries glowing on bare stems when everything else is fading. I first planted a trio near a path where they catch the low autumn light—and honestly, they stop people in their tracks. They’re not just beautiful, they’re dependable too. Once they’re settled in, they require very little fuss. I always recommend planting more than one if you’ve got the space, as you’ll get far more berries. And don’t be afraid to let them shine on their own or in a mixed border—they’ll easily hold their own. If you’re looking for a plant that delivers drama with minimal effort, this one’s a real gem.
Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ – A Summary
- A medium-sized deciduous shrub, reaching up to 3m.
- Stunning purple berries in autumn and winter.
- AGM award-winning plant
- Prefers well-drained soil and a sunny position.
- Minimal maintenance once established, but light pruning in early spring is recommended.
- Hardy down to -15°C (5°F).
- A truly spectacular addition to any garden.
With its vibrant colour and minimal care needs, Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ makes an exceptional addition to your garden. This hardy shrub offers a unique autumn and winter display, providing months of interest and colour for even the busiest gardener. Give this spectacular beauty berry a try – you won’t regret it!
If this plant caught your eye, wait until you see Leucothoe fontanesiana Rainbow.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’?
A: It’s a stunning beautyberry shrub that produces gorgeous clusters of lilac-coloured berries, often seen in arrangements that attract wildlife. This ornamental plant is known for its compact growth and vibrant colours, particularly in autumn.
Q: How do I care for my Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’?
A: These shrubs thrive in well-drained soil and a sunny spot. Water them regularly, especially during dry spells, and prune to maintain their shape and encourage growth.
Q: When do the berries appear on the beautyberry shrub?
A: You’ll typically see those stunning bead-like berries from late summer to early autumn. The vibrant violet-purple colour stands out against the green foliage!
Q: Can I grow Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ in a pot?
A: Absolutely! These medium-sized shrubs can be grown in pots, ensuring enough space and good drainage. They make a fantastic ornamental addition to patios or balconies.
Q: Does the foliage of Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ change colour?
A: Yes! In autumn, the green leaves usually turn a beautiful purple, creating a stunning display before they drop. It’s worth keeping an eye on them as the season changes.
Q: Are beautyberry shrubs easy to pollinate?
A: Yes, they generally do well with natural pollination, but planting multiple shrubs together can improve the pollination process, resulting in more berries.
Q: What kind of soil is best for beautyberry shrubs?
A: Well-drained soil is essential. Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’ prefers a loamy or sandy soil mix that allows for good drainage to keep the roots healthy.
Q: How big do Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ shrubs get?
A: These lovely shrubs typically grow to about 3 to 4 feet in height and width, making them a bushy addition to your garden without taking up too much space.
Q: Can I use beautyberry in landscaping?
A: Definitely! Their striking clusters of lilac-coloured berries and vibrant foliage make them ideal for borders or as a focal point in garden beds. Plus, they attract birds!
Q: Can I buy Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ online?
A: Absolutely! You can purchase Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ from SwiftPlants.com or other reputable garden centres.