Beautyberry is a great little native shrub. The berries are the outstanding feature of this shrub, but that is about it. The berries are attractive to wildlife and are really all this great shrub needs to be welcomed in my garden. Birds, butterflies and moths all like beautyberry as well.
On a recent walk around the garden my friend Judie spotted three yellow woolly bear caterpillars all lined up on the beautyberry. Good catch Judie! I went back later with my camera and there were only two still lined up. The third was not far away but not in this picture.I have never seen these caterpillars before and spent some time researching them. I believe they are the larvae of the Virginian Tiger Moth, Spilosoma virginica. The moth is actually quite pretty, though I haven't seen it. These larvae feed on a wide variety of low growing shrubby plants and they are welcomed to the beautyberry in my garden. I am looking forward to seeing the white moths with an interesting abdominal pattern in the future.
Has anyone ever seen these before?
in the garden....
Those berries are very striking. Such an unusual color. Those caterpillars are funny lined up like that. I've never seen ones like them before.
ReplyDeleteWe have the brown wooley bear, it's two tone and so cute. I've never seen the moth tho. It's said by the time brown wooley shows it's a short time for winter. Summer is over.
ReplyDeleteI'm up early to get one kid off to school, summer vacation is just long enough for you to look forward to getting sanity back. Ha!
Hi Tina, Love those beautyberries. That's such a pretty shrub. The color of the berries is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with that moth - maybe they're more prevalent in the south?
I am not sure if it is the same but there is a yellow one that HURTS like the dickens when you touch it.
ReplyDeleteTina, I’ve never seen anything like Beautyberries. They look fake or like something my 11 year old daughter would invent. How interesting. The caterpillars are so funny in their stance.
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, lovely flying flower photo and blooms in the posts below.
Love that Beautyberry bush Tina. Those berries are such a vibrant shade of purple. I will definitely have to put that on my wishlist. Anything that attracts that much wildlife has earned a place in the garden. Never seen those kinds of caterpillers before, strange how they are lined up like that. Hmmmm....
ReplyDeleteMom-Not sure if Mimi mentioned it to you or not, but I found tomato worms all over her tomatoes when I was there this weekend. They were HUGE. I had no idea what they were but knew they were the ones eating her plants. The neighbor told me what they were and helped kill them when I found them, I was to chicken to kill them my self. Heather even helped with the killing process. We found like 9 that were at least 3-4" and two that were still really small. They are cute. Mimi couldn't figure why the freaked me out when I can catch snakes to show the kids!
ReplyDeleteThe beauty berries look really nice! Did you transplant them into your yard or were they a purchase? I've probably seen the caterpillars at some point but had no clue what they were. Now I do!
ReplyDeleteBeautyberry is a beauty when in bloom, it's tiny but she does shine when in berry. The natives are all berried at the Warner Parks...it's nice to see them.
ReplyDeleteThis caterpillar is a new one to me, I will look for her on the Beautyberry this morning! Thanks for the link to its website!
gail
Good morning all!
ReplyDeleteCindy, I really wish I had snapped the picture with 3 of them like that!
Dawn, This is the same kind of caterpillar but yellow woolly bear. I didn't know there were more kind of woolly caterpillars until I researched this one.
Garden Girl, They are neat moths. I have never seen one but will keep a lookout. They range all across North America so they may be there too.
Jillybean, I didn't touch it to find out! Kind of scared of that.
Sarah, I don't believe they grow up there. The beautyberries are native here and so sweet when with berries. The rest of the year they are non descript.
PG, These are so easy and you may find them growing wild in the woods. Easy to transplant or just pick some berries and start them in a pot. Good wildlife shrub.
Christine, I am with you-I hate killing the hornworms! I'll take snakes anyday! The hornworms are so big and they actually make a noise. Remember the ones in Alabama? Won't go there on their noise. Easy way to dispose of them is to put them in a bucket of soapy water.
Dave, I have two. One I purchased bareroot from mail order and planted. The other was a gift from a greenhouse owner here in town and garden club friend. She picked the berries and started them in pots. These are only about four years old. They are so easy to care for. They are VERY easy to grow and happy just about anywhere. If you see some berries pick some and plant them and there you go!
Gail, Those natives are the best. I never realized it but I have alot of natives. You are right beautyberry is rather boring when not in berry. But easy to grow so that works. I am loving your blog name post!
Beautyberry sure is a beauty! Love the vibrant color and would use them in decorations...
ReplyDeleteNow Tina, why didn't you pluck the caterpillar and line them up for that perfect shot? LOL, I probably would have... I dont recall ever seeing them before but may have as we see so many different types of caterpillars over the years...
Mom- One actually sprayed Heather in the leg when the neighbor squished it. GROSS! I will have to get a bucket with soapy water for when I go out Thursday with the baby. He is getting more fond of Mimi and a little of Papa since I have been taking him out. He was doing a little dance jig for Mimi last time. She loved it.
ReplyDeleteChristy, Yuck! Glad Josh is getting more used to his great grandparents. Kiddos go thru these stages and he is a sweetheart, he'll adapt. Lucky he is to have his aunt spend so much time with him.
ReplyDeleteEvery day I'm amazed at the new plants I see on other people's blogs. I've never heard of, much less seen, a beautyberry before! It looks very pretty with the berries on it.
ReplyDeleteI am no help on the caterpillars--these are all "wooly worms" to me!
Hi Tina, word of warning, most all of those hairy furry caterpillars sting! That is what the hairs are for so don't touch them unless you are wearing thick gloves. We had beautyberries everywhere in Houston, they berried at the same time as the wild ageratum and looked stunning together. I have the wild agertum, I think they changed the name from eupatorium but you probably know the plant I am talking about. Plant those two together for a purple feast for the eyes.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina, word of warning, most all of those hairy furry caterpillars sting! That is what the hairs are for so don't touch them unless you are wearing thick gloves. We had beautyberries everywhere in Houston, they berried at the same time as the wild ageratum and looked stunning together. I have the wild agertum, I think they changed the name from eupatorium but you probably know the plant I am talking about. Plant those two together for a purple feast for the eyes.
ReplyDeleteI am also with the ones that have never heard of or seen this but it sure is pretty.
ReplyDeleteRose, That is what is so fun about blogging! We can learn from each other AND get a person's perspective-not the book answer.
ReplyDeleteFrances, It looks like it would sting-I for sure was not going there. I still sting from my saddleback encounter. The wild ageratum looks just like the cultivated kind but taller and grows easily? I love that stuff! Don't have any though. You have the best combinations and I learn so much from you.
Mom, You might be more familiar with the woolly bears. These are also known as woolly bears but a different variety. The moth is so pretty. They have not done much damage so they can stay. Now I have to hunt for the cocoons as I am sure they are close.
Skeeter, I missed you! Talking about lining up caterpillars and cows. I heard on the radio that cows graze facing either north or south, never east/west. Isn't that funny? Now I have to check my video and look at these cows but they line up so why not the caterpillars? lol You should've seen the THREE all in a row. I missed that shot. I would've missed them altogether had Judie not spotted them.
ReplyDeleteGreat informative post Tina. Don't want to touch any woolly worms. They do stick.
ReplyDeleteI've seen pics of the Beauty Berry & I really like it. May try to get one. The berries are what makes it. They sure are a pretty color. Something else to feed the birdies.
The caterpillars are beautiful. I bought a beautyberry last month and but the fruits are still very small.
ReplyDeleteThe tomato hornworms are the ones that turn into the hummingbird moths (sphinx moths, hawk moths). I always grow at least one tomato plant for them and if I find hornworm caterpillars, put them on that spare. I don't think they actually do fatal damage to the plant. Maybe several on one plant could. I love the hummer moths. Haven't seen a single one this year.
ReplyDeleteTina, I've have seen pale yellow woolly bears but not many. Kind of pretty. I never noticed what they ate.
Marnie
LOL, Tina, I heard the same thing about the cows. Was that our tax dollars that funded that study?
ReplyDeleteLola, Thanks! I won't touch them don't worry. They are creepy crawlies and I prefer to look only.
ReplyDeleteGisele, You will love the beautyberry. The berries are small but so many of them and they last for awhile too.
Marnie, I love the sphinx moths but not so fond of the caterpillars. Unfortunately they can decimate whole crops pretty quickly. But a few always get thru:) I just saw a sphinx moth last night for the first time this season so they are coming your way. I am not sure if taxpayer money funded the study, but at looking at my cow video they really are facing to the north! None east/west. Hmmmm, makes one think! They must have built in compasses.
I've never seen those caterpillars before, but they sure are fuzzy and cute. I bet the moths are just as cute. I love the beautyberry, I've never seen berries that color. I am so used to seeing red berries
ReplyDeleteHi Tina,
ReplyDeleteYour great photo appeared and reading the post sent me out to the garden to check on my beautyberry. The number of berries are fewer and their size is smaller than usual but hey! They're alive and they're purple!
We bought ours at a local Wildlife preserve when they had an art fair/plant fundraiser, grown by a local native plant person.
We have Gregg's mistflower in Central Texas which may be similar to the one Frances grew. It used to be in Eupatorium but now it's Conoclinium greggii. Up in Illinois the monarchs came for a similar plant that was passed along to me as Perennial Ageratum/Eupatorium coelestinium. Guess that's Conoclinium coelestinum now.
By whatever name - they are butterfly magnets! Do you grow one of them?
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Yep, saw the cow report in our paper this morning. I was glad to see that the study was taken in Germany but am still sure somehow, our tax dollars were hard at work on that one. Remember the study of cows and passing gas? Argggg...
ReplyDeleteI've not seen any like that. They look like two mounds of fur. I might overlook them. I don't have an eye like you do for caterpillars, bugs or insects. I probably miss a lot. Thanks to you and those of you who write about them, I am paying closer attention. Thank teach!.: )
ReplyDeleteI love the color of those berries. I wonder if it would grow in zone 8B. I'll have to check it out.
Skeeter, Tina, I had heard some dairy in Wisconsin was part of the study. They were talking about areal photos of his herds. $$$
ReplyDeleteThe only practical application I can see is if you are lost on a country road. Look for cows and they will tell you which way is north;) Like a four legged compass.
Marnie
Hi, Tina. I've seen the moth, but I'm not sure I've seen the caterpillar--one great thing about my entry into the world of blogging is that I now start to look for things I've missed before. We have tons of beauty berry on the property, so I'll have plenty of places to look!
ReplyDeleteI missed reading your blog while I was away--i have lot of catching up to do this weekend!
DP, If you do see these caterpillars-don't touch them!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, You help me out with the latin names so much! I appreciate it. I looked up the flower and yes! It looks like what I know to be wild ageratum. Interesting enough, the name Greggs mistflower comes from a man named Josiah Gregg, born in Tennessee and traveled through Texas. See the link? That is too cool. I am going to look for it.
Skeeter and all of you other cow watchers, I checked the cows out back and I am sad to say they are facing all different directions! Not only north and south. Go figure. Maybe Tennessee cows aren't as smart? Ha Ha!
Eve, I looked up Calicarpa americana in my Southern Living book and they do grow in your zone! You may find them in the woods. They are pretty cool. Calling me a teacher is a very high compliment indeed. Thanks!
Marnie, My cows here face all directions. Could it be a north/south thing?:)
Cosmo, Welcome back. Seems like yesterday you left!
I've never heard of any such thing. Cows only grazing in 1 or 2 directions. I thought they just grazed. Next time I pass a cow pasture I will have to stop & observe.
ReplyDeleteTina, there's a special section of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center set apart to honor Josiah Gregg and the plants he studied in Texas. The memorial includes his picture. We Austin gardeners would be completely lost without our beloved Salvia greggii!! If you're interested I took a photo of this memorial garden and posted it back in January of 2007.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy those butterflies!
Annie
I fell in love with beautyberry while I lived in FL and I have plans to eventually add some to my gardens. Yours is a lovely shade.
ReplyDeleteLola, Do look at the cows. I looked at the ones here and they are not cooperating with the scientists:)
ReplyDeleteAnnie, Thanks for the link to your post. Very informational and you had an awful lot blooming in January! I am very fond of camelias and yours are great color. Josiah seems to be a well known man and I need to do some reading up on him I can see. TN to TX too? Too neat.
Rhonda, Thanks! Beautyberry is a good little shrub. Surely you can find some specimans in town and harvest some berries to plant in your garden? One of mine came this way and I am told it is easy to start form the seed. Good luck!
One of my favorite plants!
ReplyDelete