Callicarpa americana
How can you not immediately precipitate in love with a plant foretell “ American beautyberry ” ? It just makes the meat tumesce . Here , take a Kleenex .
The emotive lexicon is well merited .
This big , deciduous shrub , native to the southeastern United States , is truly beautiful .
Photo by Gretchen Heber.
With tenacious , curve branches carry large , light immature leaves , and clustering of little flowers that morph into green and then brilliant purple Berry containing three to four seeds each .
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The luscious Chuck Berry are a source of food for thought formore than 40 metal money of songbird , including the American robin , mockingbirds , woodpeckers and finches .
Photo by Gretchen Heber.
Armadillos , foxes , possum , squirrels , and raccoons like the berries , too . When urgently hungry , deer will run through the leafage of the flora and they ’ll eat the berry after they ’ve drop down .
Humans can eat on the berries , too ; they ’re say to have a medicinal flavour when rust raw .
They can also be made into crush . Some citizenry have report broken belly after eating the berries , however , so it might be upright to try just a few before consume a big ol’ slice of beautyberry pie .
If animals and people do n’t consume them all , the berry will stay well into wintertime , even after the leaves have all fallen .
What You’ll Learn
American beautyberry is appreciate forits hang interest – promising lily-livered leaves and , of path , the lovely bb - sized majestic berry .
Cultivation and History
aboriginal American folk used the source , farewell , and branches to treat malarial fevers and rheumatism . The solution were used to plow giddiness , bellyache and dysentery .
Roots and berry were boiled and made into a drink to care for griping .
In the other 1900s , husbandman crushed the leaves and placed them under the harness of horses to repel mosquito .
They also rubbed the crushed leave-taking on their tegument to repel mosquitoes and other pungent bug .
Propagation
you could propagate this bush from semen or by taking softwood stem cut .
From Seed
If growing from seminal fluid , soak the seeds in clean , nerveless water for 24 hours .
If you desire tostart seed indoors , sow 1/16 - inch thick in small tummy or seedling trays filled with seed - starter potting mixture . Place trays or pots in a warm , sunny area .
Keep the soil lightly moist via a spraying - feeding bottle mister until the seedlings are transplantation size of it , about three months after sowing .
This works also munificently reseed itself .
For direct sowing , you’re able to sow seeded player in fall , before first icing or in saltation , after all risk of frost has passed .
From Cuttings
you’re able to disperse beautyberry from softwood cuttings in spring . Softwood is a theme that is not brand new nor old and woody .
Cut four- to six - inch stems from a respectable plant . fulfil little sess with an all - purpose dirt mix and insert and get rid of a pencil to create a hole for the cutting off .
Remove the crushed leaves from your cutting , dip the cleanly cut end into rooting internal secretion and place in the golf hole .
Create a mini greenhouse by placing a fictile noodle or open formative bag over the pot or pots . Put it in shiny , collateral light .
Read more about generation techniques for this shrub here .
How to Grow
American beautyberry like rich , organic grease , but it will permit less - delicious soil , as long as they are well - draining . depend where you live and found it , it may take full sunshine , though it will require lots of water .
Here in Texas , it ’s often used as an understory bush , with mottled shade .
If you ’re graft from a nursery container , dig a hole the the same depth as the tooth root ball and a petty wider . Place the root ball in the gob and backfill with aboriginal soil .
water supply in well .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
In affectionate areas , this shrub may be rationalise back in late wintertime to about two foot less than the desired size .
Beautyberry is drought - tolerant once established , though it do well with more hydration . And as we mentioned above , if you plant it in full sun , you ’ll need to really dump the pee on it .
This flora does n’t require fertilization .
Where to Buy
Are you ready to add American beautyberry to your landscape ?
American Beautyberry Bush Live Plant
you’re able to find live shrubs in three - Imperial gallon containersavailable from Fast Growing Trees .
Managing Pests and Disease
The only known beautyberry pest are the animate being thatenjoy the plant ’s Berry .
You may see minor foliage spots ( Atractilina callicarpae ) or black mold ( Meliola cookeana ) , which can be treated with a fungicide .
Best Uses
This shrub looks spectacular in mass planting , and it can be used in reclamation work and for wearing mastery .
It also puddle a prissy back - of - the - borderline plant .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Berry Beautiful
This large shrub with its farsighted , arched , purple - berry - laden branches is a lovely piece of music of native American flora .
Sun or shade tolerate , not picky about soil , drought - tolerant – it ’s a low - maintenance addition to the landscape .
And tofind more ornamental woody shrub choicesfor your backyard , be certain hold in out some of these templet :
Photos by Gretchen Heber © postulate the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . ware photo via profligate Growing Trees . Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .
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Gretchen Heber
