Fall Leaf Color: Spartanburg

Leaf color seemed to be more advanced in Spartanburg than in Clemson or Anderson, only about 60 miles away and about the same elevation. hmmm.  So, a bit past peak, but still lovely. I only spent a couple of hours there, since it turned out to stay so wet and cold. Next year I’ll know to go earlier, before peak hits here.  I’d still recommend the trip now  since lots of trees are still coloring and even when I’ve been mid-winter, the arboreta are still terrific collections. Woffard and Milliken worked with Michael Dirr on establishing their collections.  If you have someone who knows Spartanburg along, it would help find places. (I find SpB very confusing, my SpB native coworker says not. Wonder why?)

So, some pics, with a few more later when I have more time.

Red maple (Acer rubrum)

‘Legacy’ Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum ‘Legacy’)

‘Constellation’ dogwood (Cornus x ‘Constellation) berries

This is a hybrid between C. florida and C. kousa. It really shows in the intermediate appearance of the berries. This series (Stellar dogwoods) is alleged by some not to fruit.

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) colony and leaves

‘Halka’ Zelkiova (Zelkova serrata ‘Halka’)

These trees seemed a bit divided on the issue of turning or not.

And lastly for now, Mystery Fungus.

Cute little thing. Hordes of them were growing under a crabapple tree. Does anyone know what it is?

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What this blog needs is more PURPLE.

Iridescent purple is a good color for a native plant.

This first time I met this gorgeous beauty, I came close to falling off a rather hilly trail in Virginia. My hiking partner (after rescuing me from an embarrassing near face plant)  knew the plant only as French mulberry, a fairly common name for it in that area.

As it turns out, this stunning berried shrub isn’t French and isn’t a mulberry. It is a native plant throughout most of the Southeast, from Maryland on around to Texas.This is American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), a shrub so gaudy it makes Asian beautyberries look shy and retiring. It is found growing in dappled light in open woodlands with rich, well drained soil.

In full berry, the branches are so heavily loaded that they bend over to the ground, giving a weeping effect. The berry clusters themselves can be as large as a small child’s fist. The berries are preceded by lovely, surprisingly dainty lavender flowers in spring. American beautyberries easily grow to at least

6 to 8 feet tall.  Beautyberries usually appear best when planted in groups rather than individually.

For even more fun, there is a milky white berried cultivar – Callicarpa americana ‘Lactea’  – that can pull off being the main fall feature in a white garden.

Just a few days ago, I learned of the existence of a PINK American beautyberry. Obviously, this is a plant I need, and as soon as possible. Fortunately, it appears that Woodlander’s, a mail order nursery in Aiken, SC carries this plant, a cultivar called ‘Welsh Pink’ or ‘Welsh’s Pink’ or ‘Welch’s Pink’ depending on whose site you go by. Under any name, it looks irresistible to me.

(fixed a bit of grammar and spelling)

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