Japanese Beautyberry Not Growing - Ask Extension
Bought my place a year ago, and never worked with this bush before. It started leafing out in April and then stopped. I pruned a maple above it 3 or 4...
Knowledgebase
Japanese Beautyberry Not Growing #876885
Asked July 11, 2024, 7:43 PM EDT
Bought my place a year ago, and never worked with this bush before. It started leafing out in April and then stopped. I pruned a maple above it 3 or 4 weeks ago and right now it gets about 5 hours of light in the afternoon.
It’s starting to very slowly leaf out after I pruned that maple.
How much should I water? I have been doing about one deep water every two weeks.
Should I do some rejuvenating cuts? It’s is still alive. When I scrape back the bark, it is green.
Thanks in advance!
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
To give your beautyberry (Callicarpa) shrub the best chance to regrow, mulch around the root zone, say 3’ diameter or more, and keep the soil watered. You’ll need to pull back mulch to check moisture regularly, as you don’t want it overwatered either.
I can’t say if it will survive or recover successfully. There might be too much damage from prior drought stress, shading, or root competition. I grow this shrub, and it does best with full sun. I guess that yours has struggled in recent years as the nearby maple has grown and shaded it.
Check out this article from Oregon Department of Forestry about the need to water landscape trees. Especially as you are new to your property, correct irrigation this year gives you the best chance to judge overall health of plants.
I can’t say if it will survive or recover successfully. There might be too much damage from prior drought stress, shading, or root competition. I grow this shrub, and it does best with full sun. I guess that yours has struggled in recent years as the nearby maple has grown and shaded it.
Check out this article from Oregon Department of Forestry about the need to water landscape trees. Especially as you are new to your property, correct irrigation this year gives you the best chance to judge overall health of plants.
