MY TOP 10 BERRYING SHRUBS

Here’s my 10 winter sparklers with berries galore. What could be more appropriate to the time of year than this timely run down of the best 10 shrubs to give a welcome burst of festive bejewelled beauty to the garden. Berries in all shades for you, the birds, winter décor indoors and out…… 1] CALLICARPA BODINERI Utterly unique with it’s vibrant mass of shimmering lilac berries which are small but produced with such generosity they can almost cover the branches. Callicarpa is an easy to grow shrub derspite being quite seldom seen, it’s perfectly frost hardy and will thrive on all well drained soils excepting chalk. The oval rough textured leaves also turn nice Autumn shades before falling to reveal the tracery of branches and those stunning berries…. Ultimate height 6-7’ and the same spread. The one point to remember with this shrub – for the best berries plant a group of 3; I reckon it’s well worth it. There is a rare white berried form too. 2] ARBUTUS UNEDO COMPACTA The stunning ‘Strawberry Tree’ wins on year round effects. Here, I recommend it in the choice compact form which makes it even more ideal for smaller gardens. A slow grower, this selection may mature at just 6-8’ with a closer, well foliated habit. The dark glossy leaves are an excellent foil both for the pearl like bell flowers, appearing in Spring, and the vivid red/orange edible [if insipid] fruits which can hang on the tree for many months of the year. Older specimens develop a flaky, peeling trunk. Does best on an acid soil and also suitable for large tub planting, in sun or shade. A top class shrub or very small tree. 3] ILEX J.C.VAN TOL Hollies are the ultimate in berrying shrubs but it’s a minefield when it comes to chooisng male/female partners. Some females are males you know! J.C.Van Tol takes the guess work out of the equation for it is self fertile and doesn’t need another Holly to produce that festive mass of blood red berry, all set against polished shiny deepest green leaves. Hollies are adaptable and versatile. They will grow well in part shade or sun and are perfectly happy being trimmed so they can be accomodated in any garden. Perfect in the border, as a specimen, or a good big pot. 4] DECASINEA FARGESII Another one you maybe wouldn’t have thought of – or maybe haven’t even heard of. It’s the kind of shrub that, when folk do see it in all it’s glory, it surely turns heads. The fruiting pods [ok, not really berries but….] are a brilliant turquoise blue! Absolutely incredible. And if that were not enough, the lime green flowers that appear before are almost as boggling. Even the leaves are worth having, long, decorous and decidedly ash-like, they turn yellow gold in the Autumn. It isn’t even fussy. Coming from China, it’s tough and hardy and has no soil preferences. Why is this shrub not more often grown? Maybe it’s just too ‘out there’ to achieve mass consumption. Can reach 6-8’ when mature. 5] VACCINIUM VITIS IDAEA A demure and easy-to-find-a-home-for dwarf evergreen in the Cranberry family. And yes, the berries ARE edible and are made into juices and preserves in Northern Europe. But I think that’s a bit of a waste as they are so very lovely, scattered over the dense little bush like sparkling red jewels. The urn shaped pink flowers appear in May and are quite bee friendly. This shrub needs an acid/ericaceous soil but if you don’t have that it’s only small – maybe 12 x 18” and could easily be grown in a pot. If you have the soil it’s great amongst azaleas or rhodo’s, or maybe conifers and Heathers. 6] PYRACANTHA TETON Maybe an obvious choice, on the surface, but ‘Teton’ isn’t your usual big, rangey grower. It’s a handy bushy upright shrub that’s great grown in solitude in the border and is also quite disease resistant, making it always such a clean and satisfying looking bush. The orange-scarlet berries appear with predictable enthusiasm and last well into the second half of winter. 6 x6’ mature but may be trimmed. If you want Pyracantha’s for a wall then I recommend Orange Glow or Yellow Charmer. Pyracantha are quite tolerant of industrial/city pollution. 7] PERNETTYA Or Gaulnettya as they have recently been re-christened. Another acid soil lover but well worth making a fuss over, the sizeable marble-like berries are the ultimate in festive cheer and last and last. Pernettya [as I still inst on calling them] make small bushy vaguely prickly evergreen shrubs and just look BRILLIANT in pots,arranged maybe with their near-relative Gaultheria, Skimmia Rubella and/or winter Heathers. I love them; you need to plant 1 male Pernyetta mascula with up to 5 berrying females, which come in wondrous shades of sugar pink, shining lilac, pure white and ruby red. Mature size usually no more than 4’. 8] EUONYMUS EUROPAEUS RED CASCADE Fantastical is probably the most apt term for the showy cerise-red seed capsules that split to reveal day-glow orange seeds inside! All this combining with the dark ruby red Autumn foliage. A large, fast and freely growing shrub that suits the back of the border and is pretty easy and undemanding to grow. When in fruit the branches are great for indoor floral arrangements. Ultimate height 10’+. 9] SKIMMIA JAPONICA REEVESIANA The foliage is evergreen and pleasantly scented and the greenish white flower panicles too are sweetly fragrant in early spring. There are other berrying Skimmia’s that can put on quite a display, but all these need a female pollinating partner that can make things complicated. Skimmia reevesiana is a hermaphrodite and will bring it’s lasting festive cheer all on it’s own! Perfect foir a pot or the shady border. Dimensions 3 x 3’. 10] BERBERIS KOREANA RED TEARS A very seldom seen and choice Barberry that warrants mention. The fruits are more decorous than any other Berbeis because they appear in comparatively long racemes. They are teardrop shaped and a very brilliant red. The Autumn foliage finery can be considerably affecting too; difficult to find but well worth hunting out. Ultimate height 6-8’ and the same spread. Hardy, undemanding. Pictured is Vaccinium vitis-idaea.