Did I make a boo boo with a Beautyberry?

14 years ago

O.K. I admit it, I am an impulse shopper. I bought a Beautyberry shrub last week (I just couldn't help myself - it had all these wonderful purple berries on it) and now I'm trying to decide where it's happiest home would be and I'm getting conflicting information. The lady at the nursery told me it was a native shrub and needed to be in a shady spot, but when I looked it up online, I read that it could also take full sun. I've also read that the berries attract deer, armadillos and opossums and it's not a "preferred" source of berries for birds.

Anybody have any experience with this shrub? I certainly don't want to put it somewhere and attract critters that are going to do damage to the garden.

Thanks!

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Comments (9)

scully931
14 years ago
I have a beauty berry. It's lovely.

Mine is in almost full sun. Seems happy. I have it right next to the deck. I've never noticed any bugs or anything on it, although we don't have amidillos in Pittsburgh. (Or maybe we do??? haha... I've never seen one anyway)
I have a ton of deer in my yard, but have never seen them near that bush. And, all the berries seem to be gone by late fall, so birds must be eating them.

I'm sure you will enjoy the shrub!
blueberryhills
Original Author
14 years ago
Phew!! Thanks for the reassurance!
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Nell Jean
14 years ago
They grow everywhere here, sun, shade, behind the shrubbery -- I don't think there is a 'wrong place.'

It's my understanding that birds will eat the berries when there's nothing else left. How else could you explain the one behind the boxwood? Or maybe that's Farkleberry that they leave to last. I never see the berries hanging on until spring.

Nell
rock_oak_deer
14 years ago
I have beautyberries and I really like them. They are under large trees and get sun part of the day. The birds have been sitting in the nearby shrubs for weeks waiting for the berries to ripen. Cardinals especially like them. First thing in the morning, I look out and watch the birds checking the berries. We have herds of deer and not one nibble, ever, in fifteen years. As far as I know they have never attracted any varmint and we have all of them in the woods around here. Actually, I think the stems that hold the berries are too flexible for them to climb and the birds eat all the berries before they get a chance to drop.

So plant it in part sun, part shade and enjoy a beautiful low maintenance plant.
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
14 years ago
One of mine is in part (mostly) shade and another gets a little more sun. I cut them down almost completely this past spring (very early spring) and worried that I had cut them back too hard. Happily, they came back better than ever and are fruiting more heavily than they have in years. The robins are already perching atop them to eat those fabulous berries.

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Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
14 years ago
Blueberryhills, GREAT choice for an impulse buy!!

Seriously! I have never seen a single bird eating the berries! I'm jealous!! LOL!! The only benefit of that is we can get some nice pictures when the berries are encased in ice.

I've never had any small critters bother the shrub and we have lots of deer that have stayed away from it.

As Cynthia said it can be pruned back VERY hard. The ice this winter cause a lot of damage on mine so I gave my dad the pruners and walked away to let him be Edward Scissorhands. He is a fearless pruner and I couldn't bear to watch! It looks fabulous and is covered with berries!

I LOVE this shrub. It's definitly on the top of my list for all-time favorite shrubs.
blueberryhills
Original Author
14 years ago
Oh goodie, goodie!! I think I'm more excited now than I was when I first bought it. (Nothing like a little insecurity to take the wind out of your sails!)
Now I'm wondering if I should go back and get the one with white berries too! LOL!
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
14 years ago
Silly you-OF COURSE you should go back and get it!!!
lisa33
14 years ago
So happy to see this thread! I, too, bought a beautyberry as an impulse buy. It was only $10, and at that price, how could I leave it at the nursery? LOL. Still haven't figured where I'm planting my $3 flowering quince "toyo nishiki"! This nursery was selling off some stock and I came home with a hodgepodge about which I knew next to nothing!

Great to hear that beauty berries aren't all that fussy about location. I put mine in more or less full sun (part of it gets some shade from a neighboring azalea). Thanks!