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Several years ago, I was stopped in my tracks on a new customer's property by a beautiful plant I've never seen before. It's elegant arching branches were densely packed with clusters of glossy purple berries against yellow-green leaves. It was striking and unusual. The customer couldn't remember it's name and said it was a gift, given to her by a friend. I did some research and discovered now one of the most interesting and useful plants in my garden today.
Callicarpa americana, American beautyberry is a deciduous shrub grown for it's attractive clusters of purple berries. It is native to the southern United States with several other non-native species originating from Asia. Its typically grown in zones 6-10 with some non native varieties able to tolerate zone 5. I found one at a local perennial farm in Upstate New York. I purchased it and planted it near my garage, where it had protection from the harsh winds. I wasn't sure what to expect. It not only thrived, it was a berry-producing machine that continues to be spectacular year-after-year.
An Excellent Perennial for a Wildlife Habitat
If your goal is to create a wildlife garden, the beautyberry is a great addition to your landscape. It is an important food source for several species of birds, small mammals, and deer. Because it retains it's berries throughout the winter, foraging animals can visit it frequently during the barren winter months. When the snow blankets the ground at my house, the rabbits frequent the shrub and chew on its twigs. If the snow stays on the ground for an extended period of time, by late winter, the shrub looks like it's been pruned by kids during a frat party .
In mid-summer tiny pink or white flowers, depending on the variety, emerge from the stems attracting honey bees, bumble bees, and other pollinating insects. While the plant is not know to have showy flowers, it can be a good addition to a pollinator garden if adequate space is available.
Deer will browse on the leaves of a beautyberry. This can be a challenge in heavily deer populated areas.
Great Plants for Edible Landscapes
I appreciate a multi-purpose landscape, one that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also provides edible plants for human consumption or medicinal purposes. The tiny purple berries of the beautyberry are edible. While they do not taste very good raw, they can be made into teas, jams, wine, and juices. Tinctures made from the bark, roots, leaves, and berries have a long history in medicinal use for treating ailments such as dysentery, malaria, rheumatism, and bacterial infections.
A Natural Insect Repellant
Several recent studies have found chemical compounds in the leaves of beautyberry that naturally repel mosquitos, biting flies, and possibly ticks. Old time farmers are known to harvest the leaves of beautyberry and add them into their livestock bedding for the purpose of warding off biting insects. Many people crush the leaves and rub them directly onto their skin. Homemade bug spray recipes are readily available online as well. While it is known to be relatively safe, caution is advised when putting anything directly onto your skin since allergies are unique to every individual. Start with a small amount.
How to care for Beautyberry
Beautyberries prefer well-drained soil that retains adequate soil moisture. They are drought tolerant but prolonged dry spells can lead to poor vigor and fewer berries. They grow best in full sun or partial shade. Shaded plants will be leggier with less berries.
Native shrubs grown in the southern US where soil conditions are favorable can get big, reaching well over five feet in height and width. For a smaller, more compact landscape shrub, beautyberries can be cut back in late winter or early spring to 10-12 inches from above the ground. New growth in the spring takes a long time to emerge. Since the plant is sensitive to frost and fluctuations in springtime temperatures, similar to a perennial hibiscus, it will be one of the last landscape plants to leaf out in the garden.
I'm easily able to keep my beautyberry at about three feet in height and three feet wide. If I didn't cut it back in the winter, it would probably be taller than the garage. In mid-summer I trim a few inches off the tips to keep it from touching nearby plants. If you have the space, it can be let go to create a shrub border or a natural area but it will get wild looking. It's a good idea to cut it back every winter if you want a nice uniform landscape shrub.
It is speculated that non-native varieties of the beautyberry have the potential to become an invasive species. The beautyberry I purchased did not have a tag on it so I am unsure of it's origin. It is also believed that the non-native varieties of beautyberry are hardier in colder regions than the native Callicarpa americana. My guess is that my plant is not native since I garden in zone 5. While I have noticed it reseeding directly around the plant, I haven't seen it travel beyond the bed it's planted in. I did make the mistake of planting it in a stone bed, unaware of the seedlings that pop up in mid-summer. Weeds in stone beds are harder to eliminate than weeds in mulched beds. The seedlings do pull out relatively easy so it's really not an issue but it is something to consider when deciding on where to put it in your garden.
I think it is worth trying the native American beautyberry here in zone 5. If I get my hands on one, it will be a fun experiment. My thoughts are, it may die back to the ground during a hard winter but if the roots can stay alive it may push out new shoots in the spring. Stay tuned!
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