Beautyberry

“What is the bush with the purple berries?”

That is a common question we get a lot this time of year. The shrub in question is Beautyberry.

The botanical name “Callicarpa” actually means “beautiful fruit”. This beautiful shrub has delicate lavender flowers in the summer which don’t attract too much attention. However, those flowers mature into bright magenta berries in late fall. The shrub is deciduous and the colorful fall leaves (yellow or orange tones) fall off and the berries appear. The berries last well into winter, sometimes even into January. Birds are not particularly fond of them although you might see one nipping on them from time to time.

There are actually several types of beautyberry but generally they share close characteristics. Callicarpa bodinieri does best in our climate. Most of these shrubs need warm summer temperatures to develop a good berry crop but this performs well in cooler summer areas. The variety called ‘Profusion’, which is often seen in nurseries, grows upright and can reach 6 feet or more.

Beautyberry shrubs can be planted in groupings or as individual accent plants. For a good showcase of berries, give them a spot in full sun. They will, however, grow well in partial shade but the berries will not be as profuse.

This is an easy, fast-growing shrub and once it is established, it is drought tolerant. In late winter, it can be cut back. It is also good to cut the older stems completely down to the ground. It is late to leaf out in the spring.

Photos by Phillip Oliver