Floravie Friday: PLANT SPOTLIGHT
Callicarpa americana >> Beautyberry
Image sources HERE
This beauty is native to South-Eastern North America and is a complete rockstar in any garden. It usually grows 3-5’ tall and about just as wide but can reach up to 8’ if it’s really happy. While part-shade is it’s favorite light condition it can really handle any level of sunlight, even deep shade. It has long, arching branches with bright green foliage. The foliage transitions to yellow-orange in the fall before dropping it’s leaves in the winter. In the summer it boasts petite pink flowers which turn into the famous vibrant purple berries in the winter. Wildlife such as birds and squirrels rely on this food source through the colder winter months when other food sources are scarce. In the spring the entire cycle begins again! Beautyberry looks great in the garden as a mass but my favorite way to use it is as an accent plant. Plant complements include: Silver Saw Palmetto, Dwarf Walter’s Viburnum, Sand Cordgrass, and Coontie.
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