American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana

American beautyberry supports rich berries for birds and is native to Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake watershed.

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Several bunches of magenta-colored fruit grow on a thin beautyberry branch.
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) grows at Paradise Creek Nature Park in Portsmouth, Virginia. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

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Appearance

American beautyberry is a deciduous shrub with outward facing branches and oval leaves. Light pink flowers cluster tightly around the branch and then bloom into magenta-colored fruit. The non-native Japanese beautyberry has smaller leaves and the fruit is less bright and more of a purple color.

Predators

Deer enjoy eating beautyberry but the shrub will regrow quickly.

Reproduction and life cycle

Flowers bloom from June to August and fruit develops from August to October and lasts through winter. With some trees, fruit can only grow on “old wood” which are branches that grew in previous years. But beautyberry fruit can develop on new wood that have recently grown. The fruit is consumed by birds who then spread the seeds.

Did you know?

  • Beautyberry fruit is eaten by over 40 native song birds.

  • Beautyberry flowers are sustenance for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

  • It is recommended that you prune the shrub to six inches off the ground in late winter or early spring.

Sources and additional information

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