Beautyberry Planting Techniques and Pruning Methods: Does It Need Pruning Every Year?
The beautyberry shrub (Callicarpa americana, USDA zones 7 to 11) blooms in late summer; although the flowers are not much to look at, the gem-like purple or white berries are dazzling. The fall foliage is an attractive yellow or yellow-green. These 3- to 8-foot shrubs work well in borders, and you can also enjoy growing the American beautyberry as a specimen plant. The berries persist for weeks after the leaves drop - if the birds do not eat them.
Beautyberry shrubs live up to their common name, which comes from the botanical name Callicarpa, meaning beautiful fruit. The American beautyberry is also known as the American mulberry; it is a North American native shrub that grows in woodland areas of the Southeast. Other types of beautyberry include Asian species: Japanese beautyberry (C. japonica), Chinese beautyberry (C. dichotoma), and another Chinese species, C. bodinieri, which is hardy to USDA zone 5.
Beautyberry shrubs self-propagate easily, and the Asian species are considered invasive in some areas. You can easily grow these shrubs from seed. Collect seeds from very ripe berries and place them in separate containers. Protect them for the first year, and plant them outdoors the following winter.
Plant beautyberry shrubs in light, well-drained soil. If the soil is very poor, mix some compost with the backfill when filling the hole. Otherwise, wait until the next spring to feed the plant for the first time. Young beautyberry shrubs need about an inch of rain per week. When rainfall is insufficient, give them a slow, deep watering. Once established, they are drought tolerant. Beautyberry does not need a lot of fertilizer, but in spring it can benefit from a pile or two of manure.
How do you prune beautyberry?It is best to prune beautyberry shrubs in late winter or early spring. There are two pruning methods. The simplest is to cut the entire shrub back to 6 inches above the ground. It grows back in a neat, rounded shape. This method keeps the shrub small and compact. If you use this system, the beautyberry shrub does not need pruning every year.
If you are worried about gaps in the garden while the shrub regrows, prune it gradually. Each year, remove a quarter to a third of the oldest branches near the ground. With this method, the shrub grows to 8 feet tall, and you will completely renew the plant every three to four years. Shearing the plant at the desired height results in an unattractive growth habit.
