Can you identify this shrub?
 

My wife has just been given a piece of shrub, but it has been hanging about
too long for it to be propagated. It has pairs of hazel type leaves and has
clusters of pale-purple berries at the junction of the leaves; the clusters
being three to five inches apart are similar to blackberries in appearance
and they surround the stem. I would like to identify it and then obtain
some more cuttings for propagation.

Can you identify this shrub?
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-10-07 15:27:19 +0100, "Emrys Davies" said:

My wife has just been given a piece of shrub, but it has been hanging
about too long for it to be propagated. It has pairs of hazel type
leaves and has clusters of pale-purple berries at the junction of the
leaves; the clusters being three to five inches apart are similar to
blackberries in appearance and they surround the stem. I would like to
identify it and then obtain some more cuttings for propagation.

At a guess, being the time of year, Callicarpa bodinieri (possibly the
variety Profusion). The colour of the berries is fabulous but if this is
an old piece of the shrub, the colour may have faded or it may not be as
bright a type as 'Profusion'. I walked past some of ours today and
noticed they're in full berry mode!
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Wisley...ldii-Profusion
--


Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/


Sacha,

That's it. Softwood cuttings in the spring would appear to be my best
chance of success. Thanks a lot.

First thought with blackberry type berries was Lantana, but if they're surrounding the stem it means that the flowers surrounded the stem rather like a sage, instead of being in clusters like Lantana.

[quote=Emrys Davies;970428That's it. Softwood cuttings in the spring would appear to be my best chance of success. Thanks a lot.[/QUOTE]
"Blackberry-like" caused me immediately to reject Callicarpa. That's the problem of describing in words.

Callicarpa is a bit of a one-trick plant.