Callicarpa dichotoma 'Early Amethyst'

Callicarpas ? Loads of Berries from Late Summer through Autumn One of our favorite plants for fall interest is the Callicarpa. What puts these hardy deciduous shrubs at the top of our list is the profusion of lavender purple berries that are borne in autumn, adding distinctive color to the garden. Callicarpa is actually Greek for beautiful fruit, and these shrubs are commonly called Beauty Berries. This week we are featuring the Callicarpa with the showiest fruit display, 'Early Amethyst.'

Plant Early Amethyst for the Longest Berry Display of any Callicarpa Callicarpa 'Early Amethyst' is a striking deciduous shrub with lime-green foliage on arching branches. In the late summer and throughout the autumn, 'Early Amethyst' will deliver vivid color to your landscape with profuse clusters of glossy purple berries, a very unusual color for berries on hardy shrubs. The berries are particularly attractive after the leaves have fallen in mid fall. These beautiful berries remain into winter. On 'Early Amethyst' the berries begin to appear in August, several weeks before any other Beauty Berry. 'Early Amethyst' will quickly mature to about four feet tall and three to four feet wide. Use 'Early Amethyst' as a low hedge, in a border or as a specimen planting. Stems of dried Callicarpa berries make a display that lasts for over a month indoors. They combine beautifully with dried Pee Gee Hydrangea blooms or dried Winterberry Holly berries.

Not only is 'Early Amethyst' beautiful, but it is also very hardy and easy to grow. All Callicarpas are deer resistant. Plant in a rich, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and watch your 'Early Amethyst' thrive. Any pruning of old or crowded branches or pruning to desired size should be done in early spring. Every three or four years, early spring rejuvenation pruning (cutting all stems almost to ground level) is desirable.

Planting and Care

For best results plant in well-drained soil in early fall or spring.

Prefers full sun to part shade.

Plant 5 feet apart.

Water regularly until established.

Fertilize with Plant-Tone and Kelp Meal in late autumn and early spring.

Hardy in Zones 5 (with protection)-8.

Rated as deer resistant.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America?s preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous ?lost? cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.