Plants of the Month: Get Year-Round Beauty with Chokeberry and Beautyberry Shrubs
Are you looking for shrubs that add sparks of fall color and winter interest with their berries? Look no further than our Plants of the Month.
Red chokeberry and beautyberry berries add knock-out color once all the leaves have fallen. These shrubs’ fruit also invites birds and other wildlife to your Jamison property, adding to your entertainment. Both red chokeberry and beautyberry add winter beauty to your garden design.
Adding Year-Round Interest and Beauty to Your Jamison Landscape
Once the bright autumn leaves fall to the ground, your Pennsylvania yard can start to look dull, especially if there is a string of gray, overcast days.
One way to brighten your Jamison landscape for winter is to add shrubs that provide winter berries. Chokeberry, a native to Pennsylvania, and American Beautyberry, a southeastern U.S. native, both do well in Bucks and Montgomery County yards.
Read more: Birch Trees for Winter Interest
Not only do their fall foliage set ablaze your property with reds, golds, and yellows, but their colorful berries make their show during the winter. Plus, these berries attract birds and other wildlife to your yard.
For example, red chokeberries’ bright red berries are favorites for
- Cedar waxwings
- Chickadees
- Eastern bluebirds
- Gray catbirds
- Grouse
- Northern flickers
- Thrashers
- Thrushes
- Tufted titmice.
These birds will also nest and find protection in red chokeberries during the winter.
Red Chokeberry: Vibrant Red Foliage and Cherry Red Berries
Red chokeberry shrubs grow into a vase-like or oval shape. These shrubs are native to Pennsylvania and tolerant of different soil types, but they need well-draining soil. These shrubs can handle drought conditions as well.
The red chokeberry grows 6’ to 10’ tall and 3’ to 6’ wide at full maturity. The shrub’s only con is that it produces suckers that sprout from the ground and will need to be cut. Also, the red chokeberry needs to be pruned to keep its shape.
Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry is a popular variety with deep red berries in the winter and fiery red color in the fall. In the spring, Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry has clusters of white flowers.
Red chokeberry grows upright, blends nicely into the landscape, and works well with other shrubs and trees.
Learn more: Should You Mulch Once or Twice a Year?
Beautyberry: Striking Purple Berries That Last Through the Winter
If you want a shrub that stands out in the crowd during the dark, gray days of winter, then you want a beautyberry shrub with its striking purple berries that cluster along the branches. Birds and other wildlife will also visit your property to eat the berries.
Beautyberry typically grows between 3’ to 6’ tall and wide, growing about 1’ to 2’ annually until it reaches maturity. Beautyberry grows well in full sun to partial shade. These shrubs can handle some dry conditions but prefer moist soil.
Beautyberry is a low-maintenance plant not prone to diseases or pests but needs pruning to keep its natural shape.
Beautyberry attracts the following birds in Pennsylvania:
- Catbirds
- Hermit thrush
- Mockingbirds
- Northern bobwhite
- Robins
- Towhees
- Warblers.
Pearl Glam® Beautyberry is a popular variety that grows 4’ to 5’ tall and 3’ to 4’ wide. Pearl Glam® Beautyberry features include
- Dark purple leaves starting in the spring and lasting until fall
- Upright habit saves space and adds vertical interest
- Late summer white flowers transform into violet-purple berries in the fall
- You won’t need to deadhead this shrub.
You can use Pearl Glam® Beautyberry as a border plant, suitable for screening, landscaping, mass planting, and as a focal point.
Summing It Up
You need red chokeberry and beautyberry shrubs to add colorful pizzazz to your winter landscape. They stand out with their beautiful berries in the winter and unique leaves and flowers in the spring. You can’t go wrong with either of these shrubs.
Jamison Lawn Care Will Install Your Next Red Chokeberry and Beautyberry Shrubs in Your Perkasie, PA, Property
At Jamison Lawn Care, we’re experts on softscaping—designing and installing plants onto your Perkasie property and beyond. We’ll help you find the right red chokeberry and beautyberry that will bring you joy all year round.
If you want to add red chokeberry or beautyberry to your garden design to enhance wildlife attraction and winter interest, call us today at 267-621-4747 or fill out our contact form.
We serve homeowners and commercial properties in Buckingham and Warwick Townships, including these Pennsylvania cities: Chalfont, Doylestown, Furlong, Hatboro, Hilltown, Horsham, Jamison, Perkasie, Warminster, Warrington, and Warwick.
Sources:
LancasterFarming.com, 5 Berry Bushes to Feed the Birds in Your Garden Over Winter.
Plants.SKH.com, Plant Finder: Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry.
ProvenWinners.com, Pearl Glam® Beautyberry.
TheSpruce.com, Red Chokeberry Growing Tips.
Ibid., How to Grow and Care for Beautyberry.
