Description
- Unexcelled red fall foliage, masses of small, plump red berries and glossy green leaves make the chokeberry 'Brilliantissima' whole-heartedly embraced by gardeners. A mounding, deciduous shrub native to the eastern United States, it typically forms a thicket by sending out underground stems (rhizomes) into nearby soil that rise and emerge to make new plants.
- Individual plants are narrow and upright, with a cluster of small, thin, dark brown branches that flare out into a leafy, rounded canopy. The simple, oblong-oval leaves are a nice glossy dark green with tiny teeth on the edges.
- By late spring, the branches are decorated with copious numbers of small, five-petaled white flowers that are relished by honeybees. Pollinated flowers become bright red berries by fall that are eye-catching once the bright red leaves drop. The dense populations of plump, small fruit linger well into winter, since birds tend to favor other (better-flavored) fruits before visiting red chokeberry.
- Plant brilliant red chokeberry in well-drained, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter for the robust growth that will lead to a robust thicket. It is quite adaptable to other soils and has drought tolerance. Full sun sites are best and lead to the boldest, retina-burning, intense red autumn foliage and best flowering and fruiting.
- Cut the berried branches for a pretty cutflower accent around Christmastime. This shrub is becoming more popular as an alternative to the pesky, invasive burning bush shrub (Euonymus alatus) that is so loved for its red fall foliage.
Full description not available
