American beautyberry shines in fall garden

This was what I saw around College Station this time of year every year as a kid. All images clickable for larger views.

Growing up around Aggieland, I just assumed all plants had berries this color. Dad was in the Range and Forestry Department, and he and I would go out to their forestry research area by Easterwood Airport in the fall. The post oak forests would be filled with American beautyberries loaded with these jewel-like fruit.

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That was decades ago. You’d think the plant would have gained a lot more momentum by now. It’s not unheard of, but it’s certainly not mainstream. We ought to change that. I’m willing if you are.

I had to have beautyberries in our shaded backyard in North Central Texas. Here’s how they’ve looked for many years.

The facts you’ll want to know…
Scientific name: Callicarpa Americana

Common name: American beautyberry

Plant Family: Lamiaceae

Mature size: 4-6 ft. tall and wide

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Native Range: Southeastern U.S., Northern Mexico, Bermuda, Cuba, the Bahamas and other islands of the West Indies.

U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zones: 6-12, meaning it should do well in almost all of Texas.

Flower Color: Insignificant

Brilliant color. Hundreds of berries. Beautiful shrubs. American beautyberries ought to be more widely grown in our landscapes.

Fruit color: Iridescent maroon. Creamy white (much less showy) also available). Fruit matures in mid-fall. Popular with birds.

Foliage: Large, dark green, mulberry-like leaves on loose, open branching. Deciduous. May benefit from trimming in winter to maintain compact growth form.

Site preference: Morning sun, afternoon shade. Plant in highly organic, consistently moist garden soil – no plant suffers more visibly when dry.

Posted by Neil Sperry
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