American Beauty Berry

The berries of American beauty berry (Callicarpa americana), which are a stunning purple, grow at the spots where the leaves meet the stem of the plant.

The bark of American beauty berry is also attractive. Newer branches are reddish brown while the older, more mature branches take on a light brown color. Although the bark is smooth, it does sport raised ridges in some areas along the bark.

Perennial Understory Shrub

A perennial understory shrub seldom exceeding six feet tall, the plant can grow as wide as it is tall. The plant flowers in mid summer. Although small, the dense pink clusters are attractive, but not showy. The real show comes in late summer or fall when the berries emerge.

The fruit of the beauty berry is generally a royal purple, but some are rose pink or lavender. Each of the clustered berries is about a quarter of an inch long and about as wide. The berries will stay on the bush long after the leaves of this deciduous plant have fallen.

American Beauty Berry – Southeastern U.S. Native Plant

The native distribution of the plant ranges from Virginia and Tennessee, south to Florida, and west to Texas and Oklahoma, although beauty berry lovers have extended this range. Beauty berry is a woodlands shrub, and can be found in pine and oak woods, coastal woodlands and at the edges of swamps.

American beauty berry is now used extensively as a landscaping shrub. It makes a great screen, or as an accent under shade trees. Trimmed back every year, the plant will grow bushier and more compact.

Beauty Berry Likes Shade

The plant prefers partial shade, likes moist soil and is fairly cold hardy . It will grow in many types of soil, from moist rich loamy soils to clay soils. Having low water needs, American beauty berry will nevertheless drop its leaves and refrain from setting fruit during prolonged periods of summer drought.

Beauty berry is an easy plant to establish in gardens. It will grow readily from seed, root cuttings and even from softwood cuttings. It can be divided, but less successfully.

The berries are an important food source for the northern bobwhite quail. White-tailed deer love the leaves of the plant. Native Americans drank a tea made from the roots and leaves of the beauty berry to treat dysentery and stomach ailments. They also used the tea in sweat lodges for treatment of rheumatism and malaria.

While the plant is not endangered, it has been almost extirpated in Maryland, and is protected in that state.

Related information on American Beauty Berry

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center