Mid-Atlantic Gardening: 2007 Success- Share yours, 0 by rcn48

rcn48 wrote:
Yikes, so many questions! I have to admit to everyone, when Rick planted this border last fall, I wasn't sure I was pleased with the placement of the plants, but I take it all back now!

wind, the smaller purple mounds are Aster 'Purple Dome', like them because they come into bloom first with the taller Asters 'October Skies' and 'Raydon's Favorite' blooming a little later.

Happy, we had planned for planting this summer where those black pots are, but the darned heat knocked out those plans :( Maybe this fall? Another thing we've done with the overturned pots - when we planted out a ton of Hostas one year for a propagation bed, we placed the pots over the Hostas so we could easily sling the mulch on these beds - then we just removed the pots - nice and tidy :) And yes, we really ARE Zone 6a and a COLD 6a - we're in the valley on the west side of the Blue Ridge and the cold, cold weather from the Ohio Valley blows through here. The PF is wrong, if they list the White Beautyberry as only hard to Z7. You have to make sure you're comparing "apples to apples", like wind states, different species, different habit, blooming/fruiting, etc. The white we have is Callicarpa japonica 'Leucocarpa' hardy to Zone 5a.

Wrightie, have never heard that Callicarpa is invasive? We've never had a problem with it in our gardens and there are several plants that have been there for years. I read a few of the comments from people in much warmer climates (CA or AL) who had trouble, but shouldn't be a problem in our area.

wind, IMHO, I'm not fond of the native Callicarpa. I've noted that the fruits are a little larger and a bit more impressive, but it has a terrible sprawling habit and doesn't have the refined arching habit that alot of the other Callicarpas have.

We had picked up a Callicarpa acuminata (Mexican Beautyberry) in GA several years ago, not hardy here but couldn't resist "testing" it in the gardens. The deeper color of the berries (almost like black raspberries) was too hard to pass up - alas, it didn't make it :(

How a pink Beautyberry? I could have sworn I added this to PF several years ago, but it's not there! Callicarpa 'Welch's Pink'.