Berry-producing shrubs

great pictures VV - thinking of moving my berry yielding illex here (by way of the valley) down closer to the pond out back where they will have a chance to thrive after seeing these berry clusters.

Hahaha...sure you misunderstood (not). I'm the one who misunderstood. I paired the answer to the wrong question, lol. In my defense, I only had one answer for two questions. But, I take full responsibility, I'm the only one who can make me look stupid in front of my friends (and I do quite readily).

VV take back that partial apology, sarcasm is always welcome! It was a piddly apology anyway.

At any rate, thanks for expounding on that mischievous answer it's good to know there's a big sprig contest out there.

VV-do your friends at the Holly Society know that you called the meeting a brothel? They will be laughing forever.
p.s. one of the reasons I follow this forum is all the joking around.

Edited to redact my retort. Sometimes silence is golden!

This message was edited Dec 10, 2013 10:52 AM

This message was edited Dec 10, 2013 10:54 AM

What kind of fertility rites do they advise to get berries like that…

It's snowing here, and I can only imagine how beautiful a lot of hollies would be rather than the original neighbors' choices of privet and forsythia.

Rather than trying to unring that bell - I'll go with diversionary tactics.

Maybe you'll be distracted from that topic by more of this...Shiny!

Edited to add identities...

1. Ilex opaca 'Vera'
2. Ilex x 'Jan's Jade'
3. Ilex x 'Fran's Jade'
4. Ilex decidua 'Sundance'
5. Ilex verticillata 'Sunset'

This message was edited Dec 8, 2013 5:05 PM

I'm totally diverted. What are those breath-taking shrubs in the last 2 photos?

Hahaha...rolling on the floor, eyes tearing up, can't see my monitor...lol!

I'll take a vote:

#1. More diversionary images - unlabeled, so that you are left wanting more.

#2. Going back and labeling the images in the posting - then adding more images.

Okay, I'm composed. Muddy look! The middle pic doesn't have prickly leaves! Does it come in pink (just kidding)?

LOL Sally, anything but Privet and Forsythia...damn neighbors. It could be worse, I have neighbors that pretty much only grow a rusty Ford Blazer. And guess what? It still could be worse.

#2. Going back and labeling the images in the posting - then adding more images.

I'll still be left wanting more.

OK - I'll add the labels. Just didn't anyone to believe that their subsequent posts became moot.

More opportunities for imagery with today's just-below-freezing 30F (-1C)...

1. Viburnum nudum 'Pollinator'
2. Viburnum dilatatum Cherry Falls™
3. Ilex decidua Round Robin™
4. Viburnum x carlcephalum 'Cayuga'
5. Viburnum setigerum Bleeding Heart™



This message was edited Dec 12, 2013 4:32 PM

...and here I thought Ilex verticillata = Ilex decidua. This is a steep learning curve.

As much as it pains me to see iced-over branches, those are gorgeous photos, VV.

This message was edited Dec 8, 2013 5:45 PM

Great photography VV, I can actually see 'Bleeding Heart'...bleed.

Yes, yes, your braving the bitter cold is much appreciated! Gorgeous. Do you have to fight off hordes of cardinals? They say cardinals are especially fond of holly. Maybe they just say that because cardinals and holly make such a beautiful pairing.
http://photonz.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/cardinal-in-holly.jpg

The cardinals don't seem to be a primary predator of these infructescences - but I've got a lot of plants around, so maybe I've got the upper hand so far.

Here's one of ours, working on the Rhus glabra...

Pretty, and nice Rhus.
Come to think of it, the berries hung on my Burford hollies forever last winter into spring, they never seemed to get eaten, even though I have enough cardinals to go around.

Now that's the way cardinals should be eating! Mine are happy with black oil sunflower seed, but cardinals sitting on a bird feeder does not a gorgeous photo make.

The reason some berries persist throughout the winter is that the cardinals would rather eat something else...like black oil sunflower seeds and shelled peanuts. I'm guessing that you provide them with tastier fare.

I feed safflower, because squirrels don't like it. In measured amounts. Other neighbors might be filling them up too.

I'm going to fire a change-up at you all. It's dark and cold here anyway, so thinking warm thoughts and summer (fruit) lovin'...

1. Viburnum dentatum 'Little Joe'
2. Viburnum dentatum 'Blue Blaze'
3. Viburnum dentatum 'Red Regal'
4. Viburnum dentatum var. deamii
5. Viburnum dentatum 'Indian Summer'

If you have or want birds, imagine them snacking on Sambucus canadensis (or whatever its rename might be)...

How's about some beauteous Blackgum fruit? Something likes the sound of that...

ahhh, summer …
Elderberry envy; my one bush couldn't hack it, so I did.

Too long away from my favorites - you can never have too many (July 2009) viburnums...

1. Viburnum x rhytidophylloides 'Willowwood'
2. Viburnum sargentii 'Flavum'
3. Viburnum lantana 'Mohican'
4. Viburnum burejaeticum
5. Viburnum veitchii

Sambucus nigra L. ssp. canadensis (L.) R. Bolli !?!?

Now that's just mean of whomever decides to rename plants. How can amateurs like me ever hope to learn proper scientific names?

Sally, I wish I knew what went wrong with your Elderberry so I could try to make sure mine produce berries. Did yours flower? There is one growing 2 miles from my house that has beautiful flowers, but I don't see it often enough to know if it produces berries.

What kind of critters harvest Black Gum fruit? My one and only Nyssa was planted in 2011 and is about 8'. Will I have to plant more to get fruit? I didn't think that far ahead when I planted it. :(

No one ever does, and now you are pseudo-screwed.

Nyssa sylvatica is typically a dioecious tree. Your tree is probably immature sexually. When you "have the talk" with it, find out its preference and then you can determine an appropriate mate.

Love all the pictures of Viburnums. I believe they are my favorite shrub. They are tolerant of my slightly akaline, clay soil, beautiful flowers and lots of berries for the birds. That pretty much covers my expedtations. I would love to grow more Viburnums but have a small yard with limited "part shade".

I have many Sambucus canadensis. They were planted two years ago and have started producing a nice berry crop. I put them in for the backyard birds.

I also have Callicarpa americana. I love it. I cut it down at the end of winter, and it gets about five feet tall by the end of the season. The leaves are a pretty green, then, it puts out these tiny lovely orchid colored blooms along its branches. And then, the real show begins when other plants are slowing down, you get a copious show of these beautiful orchid berries. It's an absolute riot and no care plant. By the end of winter, all of the berries are gone. I have seen the mocker eating them, but there are probably others. I have planted Gomphrena globosa, Sedum neon, and a wonderful orchid Agastache. All of them show off the orchid berries.
Wow! How many shrubs put out beautiful "orchid" berries? Once in a while I get a new shrub grown from seed here and there in my garden that the birds have planted.

We also have the Rhus glabra. The fall color on it is gorgeous--another no care shrub.

We have a couple of Ilex China Boy and China Girl, but one of them died. I don't know why. We have Ilex cornuta Burford Holly. It has been sloooow to grow but has had no die back, no care and is becoming a very nicely formed holly. We were advised against planting it but have been very pleased with it. We have a couple of Ilex verticillata, but they have done very well-very weak growth. Then there's the Ilex decidua that we planted about three years ago, and they have done very well. They are starting to offer the birds good berry production.

I would like to plant a couple of Amelanchier, but our nursery does not carry them. They are native here and grow in the forests. I suppose they think it's too common to try to sell.

Muddy, my elderberry flowered very well but poor fruit set, green berries fell off. I read this year they do much better with another for pollination. SInce I'm now surrounded by houses, I supposed there was not another elderberry near enough. Few of my neighbors would be (crazy, brave) smart enough to plant elderberries. I gave the spot to the Aralia spinosa, which will have a zillion berries every fall, will be much more productive pollen and fruit per square foot in this space.

So pretty, birder!!

This message was edited Dec 9, 2013 4:47 PM

Pseudo, I'm thinking VV is just a little too hip 'cause I had the understanding that Nyssa sylvatica needed a 'male' and a 'female' tree. I'd hold off on the 'sex' talk just yet.

Now, now, Mipii - that is exactly what I stated above (note use of dioecious).

Per Pseudo's original question: songbirds and small mammals partake of Blackgum's bounty.

At sallyg:

It is hard to tell what your intention was in the hare-brained scribbling posting above.

Maybe a few less Margaritas some editing would be beneficial...

maybe a few MORE so I'd laugh with myself, or fall asleep, instead of trying to be amusing to the masses! Duly edited, probably as you were typing.

Now I want to know what your original post was, Sally....and also why you didn't share the margaritas?!

VV, the usage of 'dioecious' is duly noted; however, you went on to imply...never mind, it was clearly something I (mis)read into it. My sincerest apologies Sir.

Pseudo, you don't know if your Black Gum is male or female? Does it flower?

I have no idea which way my little Nyssa leans. It's -5F right now with wind chills making it feel about -25. I tried to have a talk with it about mate selection, but it told me to come back in spring. It's definitely out of its comfort zone.