Ten shrubs for autumn berries

Fall color in the garden is no doubt stunning, but changing foliage color isn’t the only way to get autumn interest in your garden. Fall berries give you a pop of color and add a new texture to your autumn space. Berries are also beneficial to wildlife – namely birds – who will happily gobble them up.

There are a number of shrubs that produce berries in autumn, but we’re going take a look at 10 big ones. First, let’s dive into what it means for a shrub to need a pollinator in order to produce fruit.

What does it mean for a berry-producing shrub to need a pollinator? Some berry-producing shrubs need a pollinator in order to bear fruit. There are dioecious shrubs that bear male and female flowers on separate plants, and only the female shrub gets berries. In this case, one male plant can pollinate up to five female plants.

There are also shrubs, namely viburnums, that just need a different variety of the same species for berries to set, and in this instance, both plants get berries. In both cases, the compatible pollinator plant should be planted within 50 feet of the other plant; this is because 50 feet is the distance you can reasonably count on a pollinating insect flying during foraging trips. There are also shrubs that are self-fruitful and don’t need a pollinator to produce berries.

10 Shrubs for Fall Berries

1. Beautyberry – Beautyberries really live up to their name, as dazzling purple berries cover their branches in late summer/early autumn. Pearl Glam® Beautyberry gives the added interest of dark purple foliage from spring to frost. Pearl Glam® doesn’t require a pollinator to produce berries as it is self-fruitful. It is good in USDA Zones 5 – 8 and grows four to five feet tall and three to four feet wide.
2. Coral Berry – Coral berry is a native shrub known for its densely packed clusters of berries. Proud Berry® coral berry sports blue-green leaves all season, and then clusters of bright pink berries replace its bell-shaped flowers in late summer/autumn. A pollinator is not needed for Proud Berry® to produce its big pink berries. It is good in Zones 3 – 7 and grows three to four feet tall and wide.
3. Pyracomeles – Pyracomeles is a great, easy-to-grow shrub with tiny evergreen foliage. Berry Box® has the added appeal of pea-sized orange-red berries. Berry Box® doesn’t require a pollinator plant to produce an abundance of berries. It grows in USDA Zones 6b – 9 and reaches two to 3.5 feet tall and two to three feet wide.
4. Winterberry Holly – Winterberry hollies are native shrubs that are most known for their winter display of bright berries, but the berry show actually starts in autumn. Berry Poppins® and Berry Heavy® boast vibrant red berries, and Berry Heavy® Gold produces bright gold berries. Female winterberry hollies like these will require a male variety to produce berries. Winterberries usually grow in Zones 3 – 9.

   

5. Arrowwood Viburnum – Another native shrub, arrowwood viburnum, sports snowy white blooms in spring and blue berries in late summer/autumn. Plant Blue Muffin® near another arrowwood viburnum for berries. Glitters & Glows® doesn’t require another variety to ensure pollination as it combines All That Glitters® and All That Glows® viburnum in one pot. Unfortunately, Glitters & Glows viburnum blooms at a different time than Blue Muffin so they are not a compatible pollinator. To get berries on Blue Muffin viburnum, we recommend Chicago Lustre viburnum. These plants do best in USDA Zones 4 – 9.
6. Witherod Viburnum – Witherod viburnum is a native shrub that produces white, red/pink, then blue berries along with red foliage in autumn. Like other viburnums, witherod viburnum typically requires another variety to fruit, but Brandywine™ fruits well without a pollinator. It also functions as a pollinator for the classic variety ‘Winterthur.’ Brandywine™ is good in Zones 5 – 9 and grows five to six feet tall and wide.
7. Aronia – Aronia, also known as black chokeberry, is a cold-hardy shrub native to Eastern North America. With its striking red/burgundy fall foliage and dark blue/black berries, Aronia is a stunner in any autumn garden. Low Scape Snowfire®, Ground Hug® and Low Scape Mound® each offer three seasons of interest in a durable package, and like other aronia, they don’t need a pollinator to produce berries. All three varieties are good in USDA Zones 3 – 9. Want to learn more about Aronia? Check out this story from Country Folks Grower.
8. Juniper – Juniper is a durable evergreen tree or shrub, and many varieties have blue-green berry-like fruits in fall. Gin Fizz® has a handsome conical habit that is dotted with sage green and blue berries. Gin Fizz® doesn’t require a pollinator to produce berries. It grows best in Zones 4 – 8 and can reach 10 to 18 feet tall and seven to 10 feet wide.
9. Blue Holly – Blue holly is a hardy, broadleaf evergreen that produces vibrant red berries in autumn. Castle Keep® and Castle Spire® are both female varieties and will set fruit when planted near the male variety, Castle Wall® blue holly.
10. Elderberry – Elderberries are typically known for their flowers and foliage, but the autumn berries that replace the summer flowers add even more interest to this stunning shrub. Laced Up® and Black Lace® elderberries have pink flowers that turn to black berries, and Lemony Lace® elderberry has white flowers that turn to vibrant red berries. Two different elderberry varieties are needed for both plants to set fruit.

by Samantha Huisman of Proven Winners