Where to Grow Sweetgrass
Sun: Plant in full sun to very light shade
Cold Hardiness Zone: 7-9
Origin: Eastern U.S., west to Texas
In the Garden: Plant sweetgrass en masse for best effect;
also use in perennial gardens, rain gardens, containers
and borders.
Soil: Tolerant of a range of soil conditions alkaline to
acid, sandy soils
Irrigation: Somewhat drought tolerant once established,
cultivar dependent
Wildlife: Deer resistant.
native plant deserves more respect—thin it by hand in early
spring and leave the shearing for boxwoods!”
Kim: “Sweetgrass grows naturally just upland from the salt
marsh, on the edge, where land meets the estuary. I highly
recommend this plant when establishing a vegetative buffer
adjacent to tidal creeks, salt marshes, and lagoons. Sweetgrass
screams “lowcountry” and can make a dramatic and beautiful
landscape feature when planted in groups. Space sweetgrass
18 inches to two feet apart when planting, and make sure to
offset to create this effect.”
Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
This coarse textured shrub is tough despite its pretty name.
The small light lavender flowers are fragrant and attract
pollinating insects. In the fall, clusters of bright purple berries
appear along the arching stems. Birds consume the colorful
berries almost before gardeners get a glimpse of them.
Beautyberry may grow up to 8 feet tall, so prune as needed in
winter or very early spring as flowers appear on new growth.
Amy: “I love this plant because it works in so many
situations. Anyone gardening within shovel’s reach of a live
oak should consider beautyberry. The fall color is a nice
golden yellow, and while the berries don’t stay around long,
watching the birds flock to it makes me very happy.”
Kim: “The vibrant green of beautyberry during summer
makes for a striking backdrop in a landscaped bed.
Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub, dropping its leaves in
winter, leaving not too much to look at during the winter
months. However, the changes beautyberry undergoes
throughout the year provide a seasonality and interest in
the home landscape that I enjoy observing. Also, the purple
berries are edible, but not necessarily “eatable” for humans;
that is, they are safe to eat but lack taste.”
SUMMER/FALL 2015 • VOLUME 34
Photos by Kim Counts
Where to Grow Beautyberry
Sun: Part shade is ideal
Cold Hardiness Zone: 6-10
Origin: Native to the southeastern U.S. west to Texas
In the garden: A deciduous shrub, grow in mixed shrub
borders, excellent understory plant for wooded areas
when replacing non-native shrubs or in rain gardens;
Soil: Thrives in moist rich soils or in sandy soils;
Irrigation: Tolerant of wet feet, once established does
not need supplemental irrigation.
Wildlife: Birds, bees, butterflies.
33