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.
