Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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- USDA Zone
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@Njyamadori - Most of the Callicarpa species available in USA landscape nurseries are winter hardy into zone 6a. Only one species, the Chinese species Callicarpa bodinieri is winter hardy into zone 5. Probably only reliable to zone 5b. So in general, Callicarpa are hardy to about -10 F, (or -23 C). So they are more than hardy enough for your New Jersey climate. Probably do fine with just setting their pots on the ground for the winter. Further north, they should get some protection. In the Chicago-Milwaukee area, they are not common in the landscape because our climate is, or was marginal. As climate warms, they will do better up here. Over the last 50 years, I've seen my home go from being considered zone 4b to being 5a to being now considered 5b bordering on zone 6a. So now a days, I could grow C. dichotoma in the ground with success.
In USA landscape industry, the most common in the north are species and hybrids from C. bodinieri and C. dichotoma, the Japanese beauty berry. These are the most winter hardy. There are a fair number of hybrids. Most have the purple to blue(-ish) berries.
Callicarpa americana is native to the southeastern USA. Many of the Callicarpa hybrids with white and pink berries are from C. americana
Callicarpa bodinieri, native to west-central China (Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi), is more cold-tolerant than C. americana, and is the species most widely cultivated in northwestern Europe. It can reach 3 meters tall.
Callicarpa japonica, native to Japan is for zones 6b and warmer.
Purple beautyberry Callicarpa dichotoma - native to Japan, Korea and parts of China is winter hardy into zone 5, similar to Callicarpa bodinieri
Vast majority of Beauty Berry, available through landscape nurseries are the Asian species, or hybrids from the Asian species. Though were it is winter hardy, the C. americana is fairly available, especially in the hybrids with pink and white berries. I have seen C. americana in the wild, in the Shawnee National Forest of Southern Illinois. It is a smaller, less robust shrub than the Asian species. C americana would be more difficult to get "trunks" in bonsai culture. It tends to be a slender stem shrub.
THe Asian species C. dichotoma and C bodinieri are much more robust, I have seen 4 inch diameter trunks as bonsai. I have never seen C americana with a trunk much over 1 inch diameter. I'm not saying it is impossible to get trunks on C americana, but I do think it is more difficult to get larger diameter trunks with C. americana.
In USA landscape industry, the most common in the north are species and hybrids from C. bodinieri and C. dichotoma, the Japanese beauty berry. These are the most winter hardy. There are a fair number of hybrids. Most have the purple to blue(-ish) berries.
Callicarpa americana is native to the southeastern USA. Many of the Callicarpa hybrids with white and pink berries are from C. americana
Callicarpa bodinieri, native to west-central China (Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi), is more cold-tolerant than C. americana, and is the species most widely cultivated in northwestern Europe. It can reach 3 meters tall.
Callicarpa japonica, native to Japan is for zones 6b and warmer.
Purple beautyberry Callicarpa dichotoma - native to Japan, Korea and parts of China is winter hardy into zone 5, similar to Callicarpa bodinieri
Vast majority of Beauty Berry, available through landscape nurseries are the Asian species, or hybrids from the Asian species. Though were it is winter hardy, the C. americana is fairly available, especially in the hybrids with pink and white berries. I have seen C. americana in the wild, in the Shawnee National Forest of Southern Illinois. It is a smaller, less robust shrub than the Asian species. C americana would be more difficult to get "trunks" in bonsai culture. It tends to be a slender stem shrub.
THe Asian species C. dichotoma and C bodinieri are much more robust, I have seen 4 inch diameter trunks as bonsai. I have never seen C americana with a trunk much over 1 inch diameter. I'm not saying it is impossible to get trunks on C americana, but I do think it is more difficult to get larger diameter trunks with C. americana.
