Trying to get the list down for the new shrub border and was hoping to get some input on this shrub. How it does here in the NE and the best place to find one. Do they grow quickly? Is 'Pink Cloud' the best one? Care needed etc.
Beauty Bush, a good flowering shrub for the northeast?
Never had it, but I'm interested in getting one. Good thread ngam. I want to know what other people's experience with the plant is, too.
Harper
My friend gave me one of her seedlings and though I thought I killed it I was wrong. It's done quite well despite the bad start. I have no idea of the cultivar, sorry. Down the street another person has one that must be 12' high and wide.
Never had one... 12' high is too high for me though. ☺
For me, too!
Never had one.
Never had one, but it sure is a beauty!!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/521/
Someone posted theirs gets a bit of die back in the winter, but that's up here. Heck, my Mock Orange sometimes gets die back if the winter is a nasty one. I think anything will...sure is one to look into though.
I'd like to try and train mine to more of a tree form for the first 3' at least.
It's an interesting shrub. I've been thinking about it too. I'm sure they can be pruned to a manageable size. I'm not shy with pruning as long as I get flowers & fruit.
You might want to check on this one - there are quite a few out my way & they are in the 12 - 15' range, with a spread of 8 - 10'. They are stunningly beautiful in flower, though & the birds like nesting in them.
I just started a Kolkwitzia Pink Cloud from Bluestone last year but of course it will take a while before I get any blossoms. Most of them I have seen in the NE are unpruned, look a little straggly in winter, and bloom for about 2-3 weeks.
My Hillier's Tree&Shrub book says K. "grows in all kinds of soils" and recommends the Pink Cloud variety for deeper pink flowers.
Looks like a thumbs up for this shrub,it is supposed to be deer resistant, another big plus around here. There is a new introduction this year also I see, 'Dream Catcher', who comes up with these names, anyway it has golden to chartreuse to orange foliage in addition to the flowers in spring. I think I need one. :)
Our neighbor, who has the huge (unpruned) Callicarpia, also has a deer problem but they don't bother it but I've read online that deer love it.
I started to reply, but then realized you said Beauty Bush, not Beautyberry; which is callicarpa, which I have. Sorry I can't help you there!
Sorry about all my input! I was thinking Callicarpia all the time.
Callicarpa only grows 4'-6' high, ngam. I absolutely love mine.
PSue - do you still have berries on yours? I went out to check on my Hamemelis yesterday & was surprised to see the Callicarpa still had berries. I have C. japonica, which is pushing 9', which is typical. Is yours a dichotoma, (shorter)? I had read about these recently, but was unable to find one. How is/are the foliage/flowering/berries? Size & length of time in the ground? I like Callicarpas a lot, & would like to plant a few more out in the orchard borders - smaller is better, as I can plant more of them. Any input is welcome - I have grown to not be so trusting of labels that accompany plants - some plants have far exceeded the ht/sprd details. I'd rather have it straight from someone that grows them!
I have dichotoma. About five feet high and wide. They can be pruned back hard in the spring and still bloom. The deer have not bothered mine.
Thanks, Victor. Does the foliage colour turn purplish in Fall?
No deer to contend with - they'd have to scale the fences & deal with the Ridgeback.
However, the neighbour boy let his brother's bunny outside, & this is not a good thing for HoneyBunny or the garden.
No it does not get any good fall color to speak of. The flowers are teeny. The real show is the berry display. The birds don't like them so they do last long. 'Early Amethyst' starts about a month earlier. There is a white one too.
Just wondered - Fall colour is not a necessity. The metallic-violet berries are the main attraction.
And they are spectacular. I've posted many shots of them.
Victor, you have a "dichotomy"? Does that mean it splits in half as it grows?
Katye, mine has a few berries left - don't know if the birds got 'em or the wind/snow. I can't remember which kind it is, and I can't remember if the original tag is still with it.
Well, that would make sense - since your weather is more extreme than here.
I'm going to look into the shorter types - so very pretty, and I get sick of no-colour winters.