Pearl Glam Beautyberry

Callicarpa x ‘Pearl Glam’

Plant Details

USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 5a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 4-5′

Width at Maturity: 3-4′

Spacing: 3′ apart for hedge; 7’+ apart for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Bushy

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Tiny, in clusters

Flowering Period: Summer

Flower Type: Clusters of single flowers

Fragrant Flowers: No

Berries: Yes

Berry Color: Violet Purple, Orchid

Foliage Color: Purple

Fragrant Foliage: No

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Afternoon Filtered Sun or Dappled Shade, Morning Shade with Afternoon Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.0 – 7.0 (Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Birds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Insect

Description

A three-season foliage and flower color factory, Pearl Glam Beautyberry, a Callicarpa hybrid, starts off the warm season with dark purple foliage in spring that holds it’s color all season long. White flowers in summer are then followed by abundant clusters of bright, violet-purple berries up and down the branches in fall that persist into winter. The berry-laden branches are excellent for cutting to add to fall floral displays. Birds relish the berries and the plant itself is great for housing and feeding birds. Its upright growth habit allows Purple Pearls to fit in garden spaces conventional beautyberry varieties won’t fit.

The USDA says beautyberry has insecticidal properties that repel mosquitoes, ants, ticks and other pesky critters. We’ve tried it with success. So you can plant this beauty of a shrub near outdoor living spaces to help keep the bugs away and also to make your own insect repellent!

How To Make Mosquito Repellent From The Leaves & Stems Of Beautyberry Plants

Did you know that the berries from Callicarpa (Beautyberry) can be used to make a tasty jelly and the leaves and stems to make an effective mosquito repellent?

How To make Jelly From The Berries Of Beautyberry Plants

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing with a more upright habit 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, the Pearl Glam Beautyberry is ideal for use in the garden as a specimen, in groupings, or as a very colorful natural hedge. An absolute must for bird gardens and a fine addition to purple theme gardens, wildlife habitats, flowering shrub borders and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedge; 7 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a, where this Beautyberry variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

The Pearl Glam Beautyberry is exceptionally easy to grow and care for with no serious insect or disease problems. Deer and other critters don’t like it either. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution, thriving well even in inner city environments.

Choose a sunny to partially shaded site for planting. Foliage color is more intense with more sun. In warmer climates (Zones 7-8), some shade or filtered sun during the hottest part of summer afternoons is appreciated. Purple pearls is not particular as to soil type or pH. It prefers average to moist conditions however will tolerate periods of dry weather when established.

Maintenance is little to none. No pruning is required however some gardeners cut it back to the ground in late winter or early spring to control size. Because it blooms on new wood (the current seasons growth), a one-time late winter or early spring pruning doesn’t effect flowering or berry production.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, fertilize and water Beautyberry bushes.

How To Plant & Care For Beautyberry

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us!

I cannot say enough good things about the Pearl Glam Beautyberry. It arrived well packaged and has been in the ground for a few weeks now. The foliage is gorgeous and the flowers are about to open. I can’t wait to see the berries later in the season.—————————————-We are so happy you are pleased with your purchase! Beth | WBG

When this plant arrived, it was very healthy, had many leaf buds, and looked like it wanted a great garden spot. It got moved. Settled in to the garden very well and has gotten several new leaves. Seems to like its new home. Great plant, should plant one in your garden.——————————-Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG

Too soon to rate it 5 stars, but it arrived very well packaged, and began to wake up immediately after planting. The leaves are a lovely reddish purple and it seems to be thriving. I look forward to seeing the berries in the fall, but even without the berries, the foliage is a nice contrast in the garden.—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG