beautyberry

Exotic fruit beauty with attractive autumn colouring

The Chinese beauty fruit, also called "love pearl shrub", is a pretty-looking, deciduous ornamental plant. Callicarpa bodinieri is one of over 150 different subspecies. As the name suggests, the loosely growing shrub with purple berries is originally native to China. But it is also very easy to care for in our latitudes. It grows to a height of about 2-3 metres and a width of about 1 metre and grows between 15 and 30 cm a year.

In spring, delicate, lilac-coloured flowers appear, which bees and bumblebees in particular like to visit. The long-lasting, deciduous leaves turn yellow in autumn. The love pearl bush bears its purple, round fruits from September. Its attractive fruit ornamentation transforms the plant into an absolute autumn dream that is a visual enrichment for any garden.

Care requirements of the Chinese Lover's Bead Shrub

Anyone who wants to buy a love pearl shrub is basically well advised, even as a beginner, because it does not require a great deal of care.

The plant is also quite modest when it comes to its water requirements. It is also very hardy in winter. It can withstand temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius without any problems. Pruning is recommended in spring to achieve a compact growth.

The best way to plant a love pearl shrub is to place it in a loose, well-drained soil. Here it will develop a healthy, attractive growth. It is advisable to loosen the soil a little before planting to prevent waterlogging.

The location for Callicarpa bodinieri should ideally be sunny to semi-shady and reasonably sheltered from the wind.

Possible garden styles for the love pearl shrub

Thanks to its relative undemanding nature and good frost hardiness, various garden styles are ideal for Callicarpa bodinieri. With its purple berries and yellow autumn colours, it makes a good splash of colour at the edge of a rock garden as well as a centre of attention in a classic country garden.

But a wildly romantic nature garden also benefits from the autumnal blaze of colour. If you want to have a colourful garden in autumn, you can also plant the love bead shrub together with fan maple. The latter's orange-red foliage contrasts nicely with the purple-yellow of the Chinese beauty fruit.

Callicarpa bodinieri can be used as a specimen plant, in groups, as an ornamental shrub as well as a attraction for bees and other insects.