Welch's Pink Beautyberry. This pink fruited selection of our native gives us a completely new color in this genus. The plant will grow 4-6' with a great spread and will encircle its branches with "wads" of fruit. Dr. Michael Dirr plant several thousand seedlings of this plant, expecting to get some variants for different colors, but they were all identical. The Callicarpas are best when pruned to the ground in late winter. This will induce more vegetative growth and since it flowers on current season's wood, one will have more fruit. It has been shared with me that one of the best natural mosquito repellants is the leaves of this species. Crush the green leaves rub them over the skin surface, and this gives one about six hours of protection.
Zones 6-10
