Callicarpa americana

American beautyberry

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

4-8 ft tall by 3-6 ft wide

Life Span:

long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white,pink

Fruit Color:

magenta or white

Phenology:

Deciduous to the north, evergreen in the south. Blooms spring-fall.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Hurricane Wind Resistance

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen plant, mass planting, casual shrub screen

Considerations:

Cut back in winter to encourage blooming and good form.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---- to ---- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars, Birds

Larval host for for spring azure butterflies and snowberry clearwing moths.


Attracts various pollinators, especially bees.  Documented bees include Agapostemon splendens, Augochlora pura, Dialictus placidensis, Halictus ligatus, Megachile brevis pseudobrevis and the none-native Apis mellifera (honeybee) (Deyrup et al. 2002).

Many bird species consume the fruit. including catbirds, mockinbirds, and robins.

Native Habitats:

Dry mesic hardwoods, xeric hammock, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, disturbed dry-moist woods.