If you are looking for color in your garden once the flowers have gone, you might want to consider adding a plant that has berries. When you have plants with berries, you will also have a bloom. All of these plants will give you more than one season of interest as the berries will appear in the fall-winter time frame. Plus, these plants can help make your floral arrangements look unique.
Here are 5 plants you might be interested in as many of them have different berry colors:
Callicarpa – This plant with beautiful purple berries is also known as beautyberry. The name is from the Greek meaning “beautiful fruit”. This shrub has flowers that are considered insignificant which bloom from June to August in Lavender or Pink. The berries will produce abundantly when planted in full sun. This upright plant is perfect for any place in your garden, landscape, and even containers! You won't be disappointed in the seemingly endless color it offers. The plant is relatively disease and pest free. Proven Winners has a variety named Pearl Glam, which has dark stems with purple leaves and berries that appear in the fall. This variety also stays smaller than more traditional Callicarpa varieties. This plant also has other varieties that produce berries in colors such as white or pink. People in the south plant Callicarpa because the plant repels mosquitos.
Coralberry - This low-growing shrub has pretty berries. Its botanical name is Symphoricarpos and it is a member of the Honeysuckle family. In the summer the pink or white flowers start to bloom but the real show starts in the fall when the berries appear. The blueberry sized berries start out in a creamy white and change to pink or purplish-red depending on the variety you grow. The color intensifies with cold weather. The North American native plant is tough and actually thrives on neglect. The leaves are small oval to nearly round in shape and start out a dull green which changes to a blue-green and then in the fall becomes yellow-green. Coralberry does best in full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight) or partial sun/shade (4 to 6 hours of light daily). These shrubs can grow 3 to 5 feet high and 3 to 6 feet wide with arching stems that attract pollinators and birds. The berries are not edible but they supply birds with food in the winter. If you use these in an arrangement the berries tend to last a good amount of time.
Juniper – Juniper plants are evergreens and are a popular ornamental plant that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are a member of the cypress family and are native to the Northern Hemisphere. You can grow smaller bushes in containers or there are trees that have been known to grow up to 130 feet. If you have issues with deer this would be a great plant for you to grow. Evergreen leaves have prickly needle-like new growth, maturing to a flattened appearance that softens with age. The foliage comes in green, as well as hues of blue, silver, and gold. The plant does produce flowers in green or yellow and they appear in the spring but they are tiny and somewhat inconsequential. Many Juniper species are dioecious, meaning that plants produce male or female parts, but not both. The female plants produce the blue colored berries which are actually modified cones. These berries appear in the winter and provide the flavoring for gin. Juniper plants prefer slightly acidic soil but will tolerate other soil. The soil needs to have good drainage as the roots can rot. They prefer sun or partial sun, are low-maintenance, and drought-tolerant.
Pyracantha - Pyracantha is an evergreen shrub often used in landscaping and is also known as firethorn. The plant has green leaves and thorns, which can be quite sharp. It can be used as a hedge and there are some varieties that grow low to the ground. The plant can be trained to grow up a wall or twined onto a trellis. They will do well in just about any soil and are drought tolerant. The berries are a beautiful bright orange or red. Birds will flock to your garden. The plant prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade. If the plant receives too much shade it can cause fewer berries. This plant does not like to be transplanted, so choose your location wisely. The berries are not poisonous but have a bitter taste.
Viburnum – There are many different varieties of Viburnum, which are available for different light situations as well as soil types. They are versatile as there are varieties available that grow 1 to 2 feet tall and wide which can be tucked in a small location and others that grow 10 to 15 feet tall and wide. These varieties have various bloom color, leaf structure, and berry color. The berries come in blue, orange, and red. Some of the varieties also have fragrant flowers. The plants mainly flower in the spring. Bloom colors are found from white to cream to pink-flushed or all pink. Most varieties have an amazing show of colors all year long but it is exceptional in the fall. The fruits are appealing to birds and other wildlife. There are more than 150 species of Viburnum. You probably can find a variety that will work for you as they are found in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 9. Most Viburnum plants grow in any fertile, moist well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.
Let us know if you grow any of these!
