Pearl Glam is just not my jam

3 months ago

I have three callicarpa Pearl Glams in my garden. I bought one, thought it died, bought another and the first one came back, and then I bought a third one for my daughter's garden which is still in my garden. I think I may get rid of all three.

After three to four years, they are all still little 18 inch sticks, about 8 inches wide, with a few sparse, weak, short little branches. I put one literally front and center in a shrub border and it's embarrassingly small and underwhelming.

I once planted an Early Amethyst in a customer's garden and it was spectacular. Hers was also pretty much front and center and wow, did it deserve that spot. I just am not at all impressed with the Pearl Glams.

So I think I will switch out the main one in the shrub border with an Early Amethyst. I may try a Profusion as well. It seems neither of these are as readily available as they used to be, but I do see them here and there so I think I will give them a shot.

Anyone else here with Pearl Glam experience? Do you like them? What am I doing wrong? Any experience with any other callicarpa cultivars?

Dee

Featured Answer

SYinUSA, GA zone 8

3 months ago

I've had the same disappointment in Pearl Glam as you. I have 4. We don't get significant dieback in zone 8, but growth is still sparse. Leaves grow only at the tips and I've had no new basal growth or branching in three years. It has maybe gained a few inches in height in that time. I was lucky enough to get a couple of native callicarpa baby plants from my mom's neighbor last year, and those have taken off - growth measured in feet rather than inches.

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Comments (9)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
3 months ago
I was given a Pearl Glam years ago. It struggled with winterkill for every one of those years, and I think finally kicked the bucket last year.

That same year, I picked up a Plump and Plentiful at Bluestone. It did a bit better, but it seems to have been taken out by last winter also. I just think these aren't zone 5 plants.
porkchop_z5b_MI
3 months ago
What is it?
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chouchou_gw
3 months ago
I was so smitten with this plant when I spotted it at the garden center, more smitten when I saw those beautiful berries later in the season. Unfortunately, the winter killed all the top growth. It's sprouting new growth this spring but it certainly isn't going to be the background plant I'd hoped it would be. So disappointing.
diggerdee zone 6 CT
Original Author
3 months ago
last modified: 3 months ago
".. What is it?..."

"... I have three callicarpa Pearl Glams in my garden.... "

They are a cultivar of callicarpa dichotoma. Mine are so unremarkable I don't even have any photos, porkchop! But here is a link to a photo. Mine look nothing like this photo lol.

MG I never heard of Plump and Plentiful. Can't seem to find many good photos of it - they are all closeups of the berries, not the whole shrub.

You know, I'm trying to remember if the Early Amethyst at my customer's died to the ground.... If it did, it mattered not a whit, because every year it was big (maybe 4x4??) and beautiful.

:)

Dee
diggerdee zone 6 CT
Original Author
3 months ago
last modified: 3 months ago
I actually did find a photo from my garden, but you can't tell much from it. Berries are beautiful, foliage is gone by this time, but if you look at the leaves you can get an idea of big the plant is (about 8-9 inches, I would say). I think this was the end of the second season. It may have doubled in height but still, that is only 18inches. After 4 years. It's supposed to get 4-5 feet tall. Not happening lol.

:)

Dee

P.S. I probably have a photo of the Early Amethyst from my customer's yard, but it's on my old computer so I will have to get it off of there.
porkchop_z5b_MI
3 months ago
Oh, it's a beautyberry. I've seen beautyberry for sale in the nurseries in the fall and have been very tempted, the berries are really something else, but haven't ever purchased one.
diggerdee zone 6 CT
Original Author
3 months ago
The berries ARE really something - stunning, I woud say. And I think for the most part, unexpected. Most people (i.e. non-gardeners) don't expect berries in any other color besides red. So the purple is very eye-catching. (I also love the reactions to my symphoricarpus CoralBerry, with the pink berries!)

:)

Dee
Jay 6a Chicago
3 months ago
Pearl Glam is a sterile hybrid of 2 Asian species. The breeder wanted early fruiting and more colorful berries. A lot of people have the same complaints as you. One of the parents, Callicarpa dichotoma is already invasive here.https://share.google/aimode/G4diAA1mFNL6s0GlR