Beauty Berry

Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’

Seen in a garden centre car park before an AGS commitee meeting ... yes, it was on sale inside. No, I didn't .... but I might be tempted.

From a genus of about 140 species of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees from woodland in mainly tropical and subtropical regions of North and Central America, East Asia, Australia and Malaya. The name comes from the Greek word callicarpus meaning “with beautiful fruits”.

A bushy, upright, deciduous shrub with elliptic to obovate, tapered, dark green leaves, which are bronze when young, and grow up to 18cm (7in) long.

Small pale pink flowers are produced in panicles, up to 3.5 cm (1 1/4in) across, from the leaf axils, in midsummer. These are followed, in autumn, by attractive and abundant dark violet fruit.

Cultivation
Grow under glass in loam-based potting compost (John Innes No. 2) in full or bright filtered light.
In the growing season, water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Water sparingly in winter.
Outdoors, grow in fertile well-drained soil in sun or dappled shade.
Prune annually in early spring, when buds begin to swell, by cutting back to a low permanent framework.
Generally free from pests and diseases.

If in doubt ask the RHS :-)