Has there ever been available the species (buddinari from China) of beauty berry? If so, does the display last longer? "Profusion" variety is what is available in general and aI have seen some that are failing in display beginning of November, and other more established bushes that seem to display well into January. Any help here?
Yes, the species Callicarpa bodinieri and the varietal Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii can both be located commercially, but with more effort than the cultivar 'Profusion'. The difference between 'Profusion' and the wild variety is that 'Profusion' is more compact and the fruits are therefore closer together on the branches. 'Profusion' has won an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society of the UK. Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii 'Profusion' via the BBC Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii 'Profusion' via the Royal Horticultural Society To get an idea of what is available commercially for any particular genus of plants, use the Royal Horticultural Society's Plant Finder - it lists plants sold at nurseries across the UK in any given year (and the online version mentions when plants were last listed). It also tends to be quite accurate, although we find it fails for North American cultivars in particular. In any case, here's the Plant Finder's listing for Callicarpa which shows 19 different kinds of Callicarpa available, but 'Profusion' is by far the most common. Lastly, even though "available in the UK" doesn't mean "available in Canada", the plants tend to be available if you are diligent enough.
Callicarpa bodinieri It is often said that the species does not fruit well unless more than 1 plant are grown in close proximity. The variety 'Profusion' is said to be an improved variety that fruits well on its own. Where are you gardening? The plant does best in zones 6-8, and does poorly in warmer climates. In the North West it does best in full sun, and in humously well drained acidic soil. It might also help to lightly fertilize monthly during the summer months.
