Callicarpa bodinieri Liebespaar

The Callicarpa bodinieri Liebespaar is a horticultural composition combining 2 different varieties of Callicarpa to enjoy 2 colours of fruiting instead of just one. The 2 intermingled bushes thus produce purple and white berries, remaining during part of the winter, thus decorating the garden during a season that is often a bit sad. The foliage also displays beautiful autumnal colours, adding an additional attraction. Easy to grow and very hardy, Callicarpas thrive in all types of ordinary soils, even limestone, provided they are not too dry in summer.

The Callicarpa bodinieri, once classified among the Verbenaceae (like Verbena or Lantana), now belongs to the family of Lamiaceae. This large plant group includes more than 200 genera and totals about 6,000 species. The Callicarpa bodinieri comes to us from China, and is affectionately called the candy bush due to its profusion of violet, appetising but inedible berries. Like the Callicarpa japonica, it is native to China, Korea, and as its name indicates, Japan. It also produces a profusion of highly decorative purplish fruits. These two species have given rise to cultivars that are more frequently planted.

The 'Profusion' variety is an improvement of the Callicarpa bodinieri, remarkable for the multitude of purple fruits, about 4 mm (0.2 in) in diameter, produced from October. These berries result from the summer flowering (June-July) in the form of small pinkish purple flowers, with yellow, nectar-producing stamens, grouped in cymes measuring 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) in diameter. 'Profusion' also offers generous autumnal colouration, in shades of yellow-orange turning deep red-purple.

The 'Leucocarpa' cultivar is a variety of Callicarpa japonica with white fruits. Resembling C. bodinieri, this medium-sized shrub blooms later, from August to September, emitting small white-pink flowers grouped in cymes measuring 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. The white berries that follow in autumn remain on the plant throughout winter. Before that, the deciduous foliage will take on a lovely bronze-yellow colour in autumn before falling.

'Liebespaar' (translated from German as "loving couple") combines these 2 varieties in the same pot, thus combining their respective qualities. The whole will form a medium-sized bush, about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall and 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) wide, with a relatively upright and bushy habit. Very hardy (down to -20°C (-4 °F)), 'Liebespaar' is a charming decorative blend for much of the year.

'Liebespaar' is a plant composition that will find its place in many gardens. While its pleasant flowering is nothing exceptional, its autumn colours and especially its bicoloured fruiting will be a visual focal point in the garden. Essential for autumn and winter, you can associate Liebespaar with other shrubs of interest in spring and summer. Plant it in a varied bed alongside other easy plants like Forsythia, whose golden yellow flowers will enchant the garden from March. A white Spirea, such as Spiraea arguta, will take over with its branches covered in small immaculate flowers in April and May. Then in May and June, the Deutzia elegantissima Rosealind will be covered in a cloud of small pink flowers.