Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Thursday - August 21, 2014

From: North Pownal, VT
Region: Northeast
Topic: Planting, Pruning, Transplants, Shrubs
Title: Transplanting and Pruning Callicarpa
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I saw the previous question about Callicarpa from the guy in Texas and I have two questions based on the response. In SW Vermont, is late fall still the best time to transplant my Callicarpas? Also, it says to cut them back to 12". Should I do this 12" cut to shrubs that are easily 6' tall?

ANSWER:

Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) is a great shrub for a shady, woodland garden. The tall, graceful, arching branches do often reach 5 or 6 feet in height and width.  But the most striking feature is the iridescent purple fruit that ripen on the branches in the fall and often stay into the winter until several hard frosts turn them brown.

You can treat this shrub either by pruning it to 12 inches from the soil in early spring (before new growth starts in your part of Vermont) or by leaving it unpruned if you have room for a tall, woody shrub.  If you prune it back to 12 inches each spring, you will encourage it to be a denser and shorter plant.

Late fall is too late for transplanting your Callicarpa in Vermont. Early fall is a better time so that the plant has time to get established while the soil is still warm.  The second best time to transplant is first thing in the spring as soon as the soil has dried a bit.

 

From the Image Gallery


American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana

American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana

American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana

American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana

More Planting Questions

Evergreen tree for planter in Sherman Oaks CA
November 11, 2010 - We have a large cinder block planter, 6ftx6ftx6ft,in the back of our building and would love to find a good evergreen accent tree (but not pine like). Planter is near a building so preferable it shoul...
view the full question and answer

What to do with soil left over from new driveway in Austin
January 07, 2011 - When we had a new driveway put in in Mid-December, the topsoil and weedy grass was scraped into a low pile. I watered it and covered it with black plastic to kill all the plant matter. How long should...
view the full question and answer

Flowers under pine trees from Elkhart Indiana
May 02, 2013 - I have a number of pine trees at the back of my lot and would like to plant flowers under the tree. What can I plant?
view the full question and answer

Low maintenance replacement garden in Ashburn , VA
April 30, 2009 - We live in Ashburn, VA (Northern VA). Our house is 10 years old and the contractor grade plants have died. We are planning on digging everything up and re-doing the landscaping in our front yard - r...
view the full question and answer

Plants native to Hudson River
December 03, 2010 - What plants grow along/in the Hudson River?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.