It has been so dry, but yesterday brought a glorious 1/4 inch of rain. Hallelujah! That rain brings a brief moment of relief to suffering vegetation.
The rain also brings beauty to the landscape. I love what rain does to colors, deepens them, makes them more rich. But of course more rich! Those colors are decorated with DIAMONDS. Here a Catbrier leaf, Smilax bona-nox, sparkling with rain drop diamonds, set against berries of Japanese Beautyberry, Callicarpa japonica.
Those berries will go begging for a while. There are more yummy things to tempt the birds right now, but as the days get shorter until we reach the dead of winter, birds will gather in the branches of these bushes and strip them bare.
Keep in mind if you are interested in Beautyberry, there is a highly recommended native, Callicarpa americana. Keep that scientific name in mind as you shop. Natives are the way to go.
6 responses to “Catbrier and Beautyberry”
Good info to know.
Hi Bruce! I planted these bushes many years ago, before I knew what to look for in native plants. Now I know and chose my plants to put in my gardens with much more care.
Brenda
I just checked the beauty berry I planted here at Paradise South … nope, no berries. I remember last year I had berries. Maybe the birds already ate them or maybe they aren’t quite formed yet. I’ll have to take a closer look! “Beautyberrybeautiful!” Brenda!
Kathy, you must be loving being back in your winter home! I’m hoping that those beautyberries are just forming there and will have birds chomping down on them soon! Bren
Wonderful photo! Thanks for posting it! Also, thanks for the info about the native plant! I am also going native as best I can…
Definitely,,, the way to go! Anything new that I plant is native – while many of my existing shrubs are non-native – they will live out their lives peacefully.
Hi Anne,
Nice to hear from you. So glad you like the photo. I just LOVE taking pictures in the rain. Haven’t had too much of that opportunity lately though.
Yes, I’ve come around too. Natives are the way to go, though I do have to admit I love to plant Zinnias and Tithonia rotundifolia to draw in the Monarchs. But then, they are well behaved!
Hoping to add some American Beautyberry to my gardens one day soon!
Thanks for reading my posts!
Bren