American beautyberry

About American beautyberry

American beautyberry is a loose, arching native shrub grown for its tight clusters of glossy purple berries that wrap the stems in late summer and fall, after small pink to lavender flowers in early summer. It's native from Maryland and Virginia south to Florida and west to Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, and its berries feed more than 40 kinds of songbirds plus quail, raccoons and other wildlife (NC State, NRCS). The Asian beautyberries sold as purple or Japanese beautyberry are not native: they reseed, NC State tags Japanese beautyberry as weedy and says Alabama lists it as invasive, and Clemson calls the Asian kinds potentially invasive.

American beautyberry is hardy in zones 6-10 (NC State; Clemson says 7-11); the Asian species take zones 5-8. Asian beautyberries are on Alabama's invasive plant list (advisory).

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Plant container shrubs in spring or fall and water deeply until they're established, at least two growing seasons (UMN). Space 3-6 ft apart; berries are heaviest in sun and when several plants grow together (NC State, Clemson). Volunteer seedlings transplant easily (NRCS).

Soil

Almost any well-drained soil, from sand to clay, acid or alkaline; best in moist, rich soil, and it handles some drought once settled (NC State, wildflower.org).

Test the soil before planting; established shrubs in decent soil need little or no fertilizer (Clemson).

Feeding

• Spring to early summer after new growth starts, only if a soil test shows a need: slow-release complete fertilizer in a 3:1:2 ratio, or what the soil test calls for. Spread evenly from the trunk out to the drip line and water it in; a typical soil-test rate for shrubs is about 2 lb of 12-6-6 per 100 sq ft (Clemson). Follow a soil test.

Water is what new shrubs need most: daily for the first 2 weeks, every 2-3 days through week 12, then weekly until the roots spread (at least two growing seasons), using about a quarter to a third of the nursery pot's volume each time (UMN). Too much nitrogen pushes leaves at the expense of flowers, and beautyberry fruits only on new growth, so don't skip the late-winter pruning (Clemson, NC State).

Harvest

Small flowers open June to July on new growth, and berries color up from late August, staying into early winter after the leaves drop (NC State, Clemson). Because it blooms on new wood, prune in late winter: cut back hard, even to about a foot tall, on vigorous plants, or just thin older stems (NC State, Clemson).

Varieties (15)

Pests to watch for

Crapemyrtle bark scale

Diseases and problems

Leaf spots, Black mold

In the kitchen

NC State lists the berries as edible but mild-tasting; they're mostly made into jelly. Leave plenty for the birds.

Safety: NC State and the USDA list no toxicity. Crushed leaves were an old folk mosquito repellent, and USDA scientists found repellent compounds in them, but there is no registered beautyberry repellent product (USDA ARS).

Pets: Not listed by the ASPCA.