American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Verbenaceae - Verbena Family
American Beautyberry is native to the southeastern United States, ranging from Maryland southwest to Texas.1 It has a bushy growth form, growing in clumps that can reach 9 ft tall and 5 ft wide.2 Small, inconspicuous flowers produce large clusters of attractive purple berries. American beautyberry thrives in moist areas with some shade.2 It is a mid-successional understory plant, and does not tolerate full shade well.3 It can tolerate full sun if the site is wet enough, but it does poorly in dry or rocky soils.
American Beautyberry fruits are consumed by a wide variety of birds and mammals,3 particularly Northern bobwhite.2
References and Useful Websites:
1 Natural Resources Conservation Service - U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
2 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - University of Texas
3 Horticulture - Texas A&M University
This page was prepared by Chris Ohmstede, BIO 102, Fall 2011