As we pass the midpoint of summer and head towards fall, numerous plants continue to shine in our local gardens. Two standouts in particular are looking great, adding bright flowers, nice foliage and ornamental berries to the landscape. Hybrids of Snowberry/Coralberry (Symphoricarpos) and Floral Berry (Hypericum) are both excellent shrubs that offer us gardeners not only bloom, but also plentiful berries after flowering, extending interest into the fall and winter. Both species offer nectar to our pollinating garden friends, evidenced by a consistent cloud of bees buzzing around each when they’re in flower, in any garden. In addition, these shrubs are excellent choices for deer resistance, drought tolerance, and ease of maintenance.
Both of these plants bloom on new wood and thus can be simply cut back in spring to any height. New growth will emerge, bloom and then finally crescendo with a bountiful crop of ornamental berries in late summer. You can certainly leave some older wood if you desire a bit more height each year, but cutting woody stems down to 6 inches above the ground each spring will produce compact, tidy plants. I would recommend feeding them once each April as they emerge, adding a bit of compost as mulch around the crown, without burying the older wood. Any organic granular food will do nicely, but a rose and flower food would be the first choice for maximum flower, which in turn maximizes the ornamental berry display.
There is nothing wrong with our PNW native species of either of these plants, but the hybrids available bloom heavily, set more berries, and sport superior disease resistance. Both thrive in full sun or part shade, so keep in mind that the more shade they are in the more prone they are to leaf spots and rust in our maritime wet spring weather. A natural fungicide containing Copper works well to prevent and/or control any potential issues, but specimens that are planted properly and given good air circulation are typically very resilient. Simply put, don’t cram any of these into small spaces or mostly shaded areas - give them sun and room to flourish.
Hypericum x inodorum (Floral Berry): Many gardeners are familiar with what is often called “St. John’s Wort”, a rampant groundcover-type Hypericum that is locally utilized. Shrubby Hypericums are a bit different; hardy to Zone 7, deciduous, more upright and not as invasive in habit. They look lovely planted in masses, used in containers, or even clipped as a low informal hedge. These are now often called “Floral Berries” because their cut branches are one of the top choices of florists and perfect to add that “WOW” factor to any autumn bouquet. Although all bloom with attractive buttercup-shaped yellow flowers, the fun part is picking the berry color to match your style. Gardeners can literally find a Floral Berry in any shade, from white to pink to yellow to orange to red to nearly black! If you are into keeping your containers fresh and exciting from season to season, these are some of the best fall accent plants. Mixing them with Pansies, Mums, Grasses, and Ornamental Kales makes for a seriously attractive fall container. There are several worthy choices out there, but here are a few of my favorites that are popular with local nursery patrons too…
‘Pumpkin’: A hybrid developed by The First Editions Program at Bailey Nursery, this one is my personal favorites due to its (you guessed it) plentiful glowing orange berry crop. Plants will grow to about 3 feet tall with a spring pruning each season.
‘Red Star’: Another recent hybrid developed by Bailey Nursery worthy of consideration that pops with bright red berries after bloom and reaches roughly 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide in the garden. This is an excellent grower and promises to be a low maintenance option.
‘Sangria’: This is one of many varieties of the FloralBerry™ series available through Monrovia Growers and adds foliage interest as well. Deep green foliage is accented with deep red undersides, giving this Hypericum a unique look for sure. Bright red berries develop and make an attractive combination with its unique foliage color. If you want to mix up the berry color, others in this series like ‘Champagne’, ‘Rose’, and ‘Chardonnay’ are great options as well.
Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii (Snowberry and Coral Berry): These deciduous shrubs bloom in summer and develop white or pink berries in early fall. Continuing into winter, they are both excellent choices for cutting arrangements and for providing food for wildlife. When loaded with berries, plants will take on a lovely arching, semi-weeping appearance. Hardy to Zone 4, these will tolerate most soil conditions but not heavy clay, as they need decent drainage. Again, there is nothing wrong with our PNW native species, but the hybrids are heavier blooming, have larger berries with much tidier growth habits and are less prone to potential disease issues. They make low maintenance landscape specimens that can be planted in mass, as a single specimen or even as an informal hedge, like the Hypericum above.
‘Galaxy’: Commonly known as Snowberry, it is an excellent shrub that produces masses of large, plump, pure white berries after the bees have pollinated their white flowers. ‘Galaxy’ will grow to about 3 feet tall and wide each season and is very low maintenance.
‘Candy’: Also known as Coralberry, these will pop in any landscape with pink flowers in the summer and bright pink berries in the fall. ‘Candy’ will grow to roughly 3 feet tall and wide each season and is very easy to grow in the landscape.
I encourage you to seek out these two species of shrubs, choose your favorite flavor and enjoy both the summer color and autumn berry display. Visit your local garden center and speak with a Certified Professional Horticulturist, allowing them to help you select the perfect plants for your landscape. These two statement plants add multiple seasons of interest in the garden and will offer you years of garden enjoyment.
