Plant of the Week: Proud Berry Coral Berry

It's the berries!

Proud Berry™ Symphoricarpos is an improved new coral berry with compact growth and a profusion of bright pink berries in late summer and fall. The berry display on this plant is just outstanding. Use this native plant in cutting gardens or as a mass planting.

Proud Berry Symphoricarpos grows in full sun or partial shade and is deer-resistant. It gets 3-4' tall and wide and is hardy to USDA Zone 3.

Look for this new variety at retail, spring of 2017.

Proud Berry coral berry stays a compact 3-4' tall and wide.

Have you heard that expression before? "It's the berries" was one that my grandmother used. Apparently it was very trendy slang in rural 1920's Illinois. OMG LOL!

It means something that's really nice. I think it's rather charming. After all, few things are nicer than berries. Whether you're putting them in pancakes, eating them with ice cream, or just admiring them in your garden, berries are delightful. Note: Symphoricarpos berries are not edible. Hold on to your ice cream cone and just look at them.

One of the few drawbacks to berries is that they usually aren't obvious to spring garden center customers. So now is the time to remind your readers of how lovely berries and other fall features are in gardens. There are a lot of landscapes out there that look great in spring (when homeowners shop) and fade into nothing in fall. That's too bad, because a fall garden is a real delight.

Another hazard with berries is the the temptation to indulge in bad puns. My younger daughter went through a long Strawberry Shortcake phase; eventually I made her watch the videos in Spanish to preserve my sanity. Seriously, if you're the parent of a toddler, try it. Barbie in French is magnifique.

Native Proud Berry coral berry erupts in a profusion of bright pink berries in late summer and autumn.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.