Issai Beautyberry
Callicarpa dichotoma 'Issai'
Height: 4 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4b
Other Names: American Beautyberry
Description:
A beautiful shrub with pretty pink flowers in early summer followed by dazzling glossy lilac fruit, producing heavily even when young; bushy habit of growth with arching branches, can be pruned back to the ground in spring as it blooms on new wood
Ornamental Features
Issai Beautyberry is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent violet berries from early to late fall. It has pink trumpet-shaped flowers with lavender overtones along the branches from early to mid summer, which are interesting on close inspection. It has emerald green deciduous foliage. The narrow leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.
Landscape Attributes
Issai Beautyberry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Issai Beautyberry is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Issai Beautyberry will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Issai Beautyberry makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
