Common Name: American Beautyberry

General Information

Callicarpa americana is a deciduous shrub with arching branches and a loose, open habit; it can grow up to 180cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, valued particularly for its fruit display[]. It has potential for use as a pioneer species for restoring native woodland.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

South-eastern N. America - Oklahoma and Missouri to Virginia, south to Texas and Florida; Caribbean - Bahamas, Bermuda, Cuba

Habitat

Rich woods and thickets[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Callicarpa americana is native to warm temperate and subtropical regions of southeastern N. America, extending into the western Caribbean. It grows mainly in climates with mild winters and long, hot, humid summers[]. It is able to tolerate occasional temperatures falling as low as about -18°c according to one report[] whilst another says that it is only really hardy in the milder parts of the temperate zone[].
Requires a sunny position or light dappled shade[, ]. Prefers a highly fertile well-drained loamy soil[]. Prefers a humus-rich soil, preferably on the heavy side[].
Requires cross-pollination for good fruit production[].
Plants fruit best when grown in a sunny position[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. Juicy, sweet, fleshy, slightly aromatic[]. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the root bark has been used as a diuretic[].

The leaves are a cure for dropsy[].

A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of dysentery and stomach aches[, ].

A tea made from the roots and berries is used in the treatment of colic[, ].

Some native North American Indian tribes used the leaves and roots in sweat baths for the treatment of malaria, rheumatism and fevers[, ].

Agroforestry Uses:

American beautyberry is one of the most prevalent woody competitors of pine trees in the southeastern United States. It is an early invader of openings created by disturbance and was the only understorey shrub present 19 years after timber harvest in a southern Arkansas pine-oak forest (density=546 plants/ha). Its density declined with succession,
lowering to 28 plants/ha 75 years after the trees had been harvested[]. This, coupled with the plant's high value as a food and cover plant for native wildlife, makes it an excellent pioneer species for restoring native woodland within its native range[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse[]. Only just cover the seed[]. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 18°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood 10cm long, mid summer in a frame. High percentage[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth with a heel[] taken in early spring[].