I got so many seed last year, I still have seed. I'll save you some seed.
Do you grow hibiscus too?. I have some No names but I can show you the blooms.
Been told these were edibles Hibiscus.

Grew this from seed too.

I'm loving the pictures!

Do you have to cut the Beautyberry back every year? Hubby wants to try them again. We planted two several years back but neither made it through the winter. We had bought them from a bad nursery near where we live. All of the shrubs we bought from them died within a year. So did the tree we bought.

Did you check to see if they would survive in your zone VAL?? I don't cut them unless they get too tall. I did trim mine early in the spring.

They're hardy here, but I'm not sure what their limit is. What zone are you in Val?

I'm right on the border of 5b/6a. Since I live in a large city, I can usually push it to 6b. I've even overwintered Oxalis regnellii for the past 5 years (south side of our brick home).

I really think the problem with the Beautyberries were the place that I bought them. Their shrubs are "questionable" and they don't advertise the fact that they don't have any kind of guarantee. The shrubs that I buy from the other nurseries do great.

And the local metroparks have mature plants of both the white and the purple Beautyberries growing in them. So they have to be hardy here.

I have seed of both, but there is the possibility that the Purple may make plants with white berries, so I can guarantee either.

Hello all!
I'm glad this was the featured cubit today. I had no idea this was here.
I love love love shrubs. This fall I will start propagating as many of mine as possible, and I had not thought of collecting seeds until I read the posts above. I will save you all seeds from everything. We have 10 acres but I've only been here 3 years. I did bring plants here that I had grown at the last house, so some are 10 years old now. I have a few poor plants that I have dragged from house to house for 26 years. Hopefully we'll stay on this property for the duration.
Cindi

Neal, You've been in the spotlight twice in one week!! Way to go!! Polly, you and Neal have made a great place here and I'm looking forward to some more good times spent here! Congratulations!

Thanks Stormy.

Welcome Cindi!!

I'm afraid I've been a pretty absent partner in this cubit. Neal has done well without me though. My iris shipping season is almost over, and then I can contribute more here.

Good to meet ya, Cindi, Welcome!

Thanks, Stormy, what a great surprise! We'll need to sort through photos and get a collage banner once we've get settled this fall. Polly, I'd bet you've got some good pics to use, like the Beauty Bush and of course some Lilac shots.

if you like one of those pictures you are can use them, I'll share.

Thanks, Charleen! Those purple berries would be a great one to include!

Hi, Neal and all! I've had a busy summer, so I've not been posting on many forums, but I've checked in here and want to add my endorsement to the caryopteris as a fall-blooming shrub that really puts on a show. Mine is currently covered in blooms, bumblebes and butterflies. It's a keeper!

May I also add that an overlooked shrub of years ago is weigela, which blooms in the spring, but the hummers love it and so do I. Both the caryopteris and the weigela are easily rooted by taking cuttings and putting them in a glass or small jar of water. I've also done this with pieris japonica, another favorite of mine for spring blooms, although not in the typical definition of "bloom." It's racemes, though, I find quite attractive and I'm also fond of its light fragrance. Beautyberry is an excellent small shrub as well.

Sorry to make this a short post and then dash, but I'm on lunch break and it's time to get back to work

So much information tho.

I'm kathy_ann, only reason i'm here is because i'm playing around at work on the computer, shame on me I know, lol I love shrubs, very envyous of Polly's l00 lilac cultivers, Do you ever sell them polly? I bet your place does smell fabulous in the spring time.

I love hydrangeas and any shrub that has a wonderful fragrance.

Hi Kathy Ann!

I don't sell them. We have a lot of iris vendors locally, as Highland Park in nearby Rochester is known for it's lilac collection. You can get the small sized lilacs from Syringa Plus. I've purchased many from there. They grow fast, so the 4" pots are good.