When the fall season arrives, it’s a treat to see red, purple, orange, dark blue and even white berries begin to show their colors. It’s a subtle change that will overnight be bright and showy. If you’re missing out on the berry action, then check out the berry-laden plants below and choose your berry. Now is the time to add these plants to your landscape because of one simple reason: This is when they’re available. So, find an empty place in the garden that needs a spot of berry color and go for it.
Don’t forget. Many of the berry-filled trees and shrubs are four-season interest plants. What does that mean? They offer the garden ornamental features in all four seasons. In this case, from blooms to berries.
All the more reason to get in on the berry action. Plus: You’ll make the birds happy.
1. Viburnum: Four Seasons of Giving
Viburnums are spring blooming, very showy shrubs that like full sun to part shade. Their flowers are primarily white, and their size is typically 10 to 12′ x 10 to 12′, though they can be larger or smaller. They are good companion plants with rhododendrons, azaleas, and other broadleaf evergreens. Some viburnums, like ‘Conoy’ and ‘Pragense,’ are evergreen.
- Evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous woody plants
- Zone: 4-8
- Many are native to North America (just as many are native to South America and Southeast Asia)
- Ideal for flowers, fruit, and foliage: a four-season plant
- Spring bloomers. Some are highly fragrant. Most are white, or pink-hued, to pink
- Berries are yellow, blue, black and red
- Tolerate most any soil, but happiest in a moist, well-drained soil
- Full sun to part shade
2. Beautyberry: The Name Says it all
Callicarpa americana, or purple beautyberry or American beautyberry, is a layered shrub with violet berries that are very showy in late summer through fall. It reaches reaches 5′ x 5′ and likes to spread out in a full sun setting. A new cultivar called ‘Pearl Glam’ saves space with its upright growth habit. Its foliage is purple, and it matures at 4′-5′ x 3′-4′. It’s a good alternative if space is limited.
- Native to the Southeastern United States
- Zone 6-10
- Flowers are white to lavender, not showy
- Ideal for the violet berries
- Full sun to part shade, but best in full sun
- Performs well in clay soils
- Perfect for naturalizing
- Violet berries begin showing in late summer to early fall
3. Winterberry: A Deciduous Holly the Birds Love
Ilex verticillata or winterberry is a deciduous holly that grows 8′ to 12′ x 8′ to 12′ as straight species. Smaller cultivars stay 3′ to 4′ x 3′ to 4′. In late August to mid-September, the berries begin to show. By the time the shrub has lost its leaves, the berries are full and bright. They stay on the shrub until early spring when the robins or other birds finish them off.
- Native to Eastern North America
- Zone 3-9
- Full sun to part shade, but does best in full sun
- Can handle wet soils, erosion, and clay. Consider them for boggy areas and rain gardens
- Flowers are greenish white, insignificant
- Berries are orange or red
- This one needs a pollinator
4. Hawthorn: An Overlooked tree
Crataegus viridis or hawthorn trees are native trees with a lot to offer. Beautiful spring blooms, tons of bright red berries, great fall color and a small size perfect for residential gardens, yet they are often overlooked in the landscape. Like sourwood trees, they are beginning to find their place in the trade, and they’re worth the real estate for the berries alone.
- Native to the Southeastern United States
- Zone 4-7
- Full sun to partial shade
- Matures at 25′ to 35′ x 25′ to 35′
- Tolerates drought, clay soil, and dry soil
- Fragrant, white flowers in spring
- Bright red berries in fall through winter
- Leaves turn purple to red in fall
- Tolerates urban pollution, perfect for parking areas
5. St. John’s Wort: So Many New Cultivars
If you don’t have the space for trees or big shrubs, try Hypericum or St. John’s Wort. A smaller shrub that can fit easily into the foundation planting of your home, its yellow blooms and bright berries are a pretty addition to flower arrangements. (Ask our staff to help you with these. Hypericum is many things: annuals, perennial groundcovers, and shrubs. You want the shrub in this case.)
- 2′ to 4′ x 2′ to 4′, grows rapidly
- Zone 4-8
- Evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous
- Many to choose from: ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Sunburst,’ ‘Mystical Glory’
- Showy yellow blooms
- Bright orange-red berries
- Tolerates poor soils, but prefers a moist, well-drained soil
- Full sun to partial shade
- Drought tolerant
- Deer resistant
Enjoy the Berry-Beautiful Seasonal Show
Whether you’re working with a spacious landscape or a small garden bed, there’s a berry-producing plant ready to add color, interest, and wildlife appeal to your space. From the vibrant purple of beautyberry to the fiery red of winterberry, these shrubs and trees offer more than just a pretty face; they bring year-round beauty and support for pollinators and birds alike. Fall is the perfect time to add them to your garden while they’re easy to find and looking their best. So pick your favorite, plant it now, and enjoy the seasonal show for years to come!
