Overview
Uses: Mixed borders, informal screens, wildlife gardens, and cut stems for arrangements.
Benefits: An upright beautyberry that sets heavy, early crops of glossy violet-purple berries in tight clusters along the stems from late summer. Pale pink flowers come first, and orange fall foliage finishes the show. No pollinator needed for berries.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun: Full Sun
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright — taller than wide.
Bloom Color: Pale Pink, followed by Violet-Purple berries
Foliage Color: Green, turning Orange in fall
Mature Height: 4–6 feet
Mature Width: 2–3 feet
Bloom Season: Summer
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Purple berries packed so tightly along the stems that the branches look beaded.
Beautyberry is grown for its fruit, and Bubble Up® was selected to make the most of it. In summer, small pale pink flowers form in clusters where the leaves meet the stems. By late summer each cluster has become a tight ball of glossy violet-purple berries, and because this selection fruits heavily and early, those balls run almost the full length of every branch.
The plant grows upright and taller than wide, roughly four to six feet tall and two to three feet across, so it fits into a mixed border without spreading over its neighbors. In fall the leaves turn orange before dropping, and the berries stay on the bare stems afterward, which is often when they look their best.
A single plant sets fruit on its own, with no second shrub needed. The berried stems are a favorite for fall arrangements, and the fruit left on the plant draws birds later in the season.
Care
Bubble Up® Beautyberry Care
Plant in full sun. Beautyberry will grow in some shade, but sun produces the heaviest flowering and fruit set.
Average, well-drained garden soil suits it well. It is not fussy about soil type and does not need rich ground; in very fertile soil it tends to grow leafy at the expense of berries.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants handle short dry spells, though steady moisture during summer helps the berries size up. A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch holds moisture and keeps roots cool.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is enough, and plants in reasonable soil often need none.
Beautyberry flowers and fruits on new growth, so prune in late winter or early spring before leaves emerge. Cutting the stems back by a third or more keeps the plant full and encourages plenty of fruiting shoots. In colder areas, stems may die back in winter; cut them to live wood in spring and the plant regrows and fruits the same year.
Size
What Size is the Bubble Up® Beautyberry for Sale Online?
Our Bubble Up® Beautyberry ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Bubble Up® Beautyberry Grow?
Expect about 4 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide at maturity, in an upright, vase-like shape. Plants pruned hard each spring stay toward the lower end of that range. Space plants about 3 feet apart for a loose, informal hedge.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Bubble Up® Beautyberry?
The botanical name is Callicarpa Bubble Up® ‘SMNCJLIEP’. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrub selected for heavy, early fruit set and an upright habit.
Do I need more than one plant to get berries?
No. A single Bubble Up® beautyberry sets fruit on its own. Planting several together simply makes a bigger show, which works well in a mass planting or informal hedge.
Do birds eat the berries?
Yes, though usually not right away. The berries tend to hang on the stems for weeks after they color up, and birds often turn to them later in fall and into winter when other food is scarcer. For more fruiting and flowering shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
Is Bubble Up® Beautyberry deer resistant?
Beautyberry is not a common target for deer, and plants are usually left alone. No plant is entirely deer proof when food is scarce, but it is a dependable choice in most yards with deer pressure. See more Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens.
