Callicarpa japonica
| Callicarpa japonica | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 7' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Callicarpa japonica (common name: beautyberry)
Propagation: Seed - sow February in a greenhouse[1]. Only just cover the seed[2]. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 18°c[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood 10cm long, July/August in a frame. High percentage[1].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth with a heel[1] taken in early spring[3].
Cultivation: Requires a sunny position or light dappled shade[4][3]. Prefers a highly fertile well-drained loamy soil[4][3].
This species is only really hardy in the milder parts of Britain, requiring a warm sunny corner[4][5], though some forms should prove to be hardier.
A very ornamental[6] and polymorphic species[7].
Requires cross-pollination for good fruit production[5].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Manchuria..
Habitat: A pioneer species of cut-over lands[7]. Mixed forests on mountain slopes or in valleys at elevations of 200 - 900 metres[8].
Edibility: The leaves are a tea substitute[9][10].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: C. murasaki.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bird, R. Growing from Seed Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan, 1989.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.