Oh, Tutti Frutti: It’s Candy Land Time! Magical & Colorful Ornamental Berries…

Circus-like baubles on candy-coral stems, literally cover this (Viburnum lentago) nannyberry viburnum in my garden

Red twig dogwood berries (Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’) bring to mind mini marshmallow bits and and rainbow jimmies

Just like orange-flavored Tic-Tacs – The sight of these Chinese-orange berries on my tea viburnum (V. setigerum ) always gives me a little lift

Oh goody gum drops! Would you look at the garden? Why it’s a living Candy Land out there! Just like an old-fashioned sweet-shop —penny-jars filled with confections— my shrubs are overflowing with orange candy, red candy and purple candy galore. Yes, it’s that time of the year when the woody-plants at Ferncliff go all tutti frutti. And the birds? What a racket they make! If I had an avian translator on hand, I wonder what phrases I would hear?  “Jay, come over here and try some of this grape fizz candy”. “Wait a second Goldie… Get a load of the gob-stoppers this year”.  The autumn garden is a sweet feast for my eyes and, more important, for the bellies of my feathered friends.

With one variety of ornamental fruit ripening right after the other, this confectionary show will go on in the garden for months. September, October and November are always bird-berrilicious in the garden, and later on in winter —when ice and snow coat the remaining branches of fruit— my hilltop turns into a virtual Rock-Candy Mountain. After the heavy freezes in December and January, the crystal-covered red and orange berries sparkle just like sweets in glass jars…

Gummy Gobs – Viburnum trilobum, ‘J.N. Select Redwing’

Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Issai’ – grape fizz candy meets honey-wafer foliage. Read more about this favorite shrub and other autumn beauties here.

Viburnum carlesii – Looks Like Licorice Drops and Hot Balls

Some of my favorite spring blooming trees and shrubs —including Malus species, Prunus, Aronia arbutifolia (red chokeberry), the entire Viburnum genus (especially V. carlesii, V. lantana, V. nudum, V. plicatum, V. setigerum,V. trilobum) and others too numerous to list— are also prolific producers of colorful, bird-attracting ornamental fruit in late-summer, autumn and early winter. Hip-producing roses, such as R. rubrifolia (redleaf rose), R. rugosa, and R. virginiana, provide fruit for wildlife or for human-consumption (usually in the form of jelly or tea). And elderberries, some of which produce both spectacular year-round foliage, are also worth including in a gardens for their berries; both for birds and humans.

When considering berry-producing shrubs for the garden, keep in mind that some of the less-stellar spring bloomers —particularly Pyracantha (firethorn), Callicarpa (purple beautyberry), Ilex verticillata (winterberry holly), Cotoneaster, Cornus alba (red and yellowtwig dogwood), and Rhus— produce some of the most vibrant late-season fruit. (For more information about purple beautyberry — the Callicarpa pictured above— click back to this post here). Always research the cultural requirements of each genus and species carefully before planting, and remember that some shrubs —especially the hollies (Ilex)— will require that you plant both male and female specimens in order to produce fruit…

Juniper Berry – Blueberry Bombs

Cornus kousa… or ch,ch,ch, ch, ch,ch, ch,ch Cherry Bomb?

The berries of  my Variegated Wayfaring Viburnum (V. lantana) could be topping a mint-swirl sundae

Rosa rugosa hips (a relative of the apple) are not only beautiful, but add delightful flavor to tea and jelly, as well as providing food for wildlife

Mid to late autumn in a great time to plant trees and shrubs in the garden, and it’s also a fantastic season to grab great deals at your local garden center or favorite online nursery. Once temperatures cool, and the rainy season returns, dormant trees and shrubs will have time to settle into the garden; all ready  to get growing in spring. For information on planting shrubs in autumn, travel back to last year’s post on the subject by clicking here.

Although most of the berries pictured here are edible or harmless to humans, it goes without saying that you should always use common sense in the garden. If you have small, curious children, be sure to research what you are planting and avoid poisonous fruits. And teach children early —as you would teach them about tiny objects— that all we see should not go in our mouths! Never eat berries unless you are certain that they are fit for human consumption. Enjoy the autumn season, the birds visiting your garden, and all of fall’s beautiful ‘Candy Land’ delights…

Just like Cherries in the Snow! Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’ – Rock candy for birds in January at Ferncliff

Cotoneaster dammeri ‘Eichholz’ – looks like cinnamon dots and red candy apple

Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’

Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’ at Ferncliff

For more autumn color-inspiration, you may enjoy traveling back to last year’s series of three posts —The Autumn Brilliance Series— by clicking here.

Inspiration: Why, Willy Wonka {images Paramount Pictures/Tim Burton Productions credit as linked to films}…

The Runaways Cherry Bomb {image from linked soundtrack cover}…

And of course, the original Tutti Frutti himself, Little Richard {image from linked soundtrack}

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Article and Botanical Photographs â“’ Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

{ All plant photos in this feature were taken at my private garden, Ferncliff }

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