Beautyberry

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a flowering shrub species belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The plant is native to Central and North America, ranging from Virginia, south to Florida, and west to Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. The stems of the Beautyberry shrub are erect, woody and glutinous, with somewhat drooping branches. This is a deciduous shrub, bearing fine, feminine foliage in summer, maturing to a deep, bright purplish-green in fall. The main attraction of this plant is its attractive, bright purplish-pink, globe-shaped berries that appear in clusters along the branches in late summer to early autumn. It is often used as a ground cover or container plant for its ornamental value.

Beautyberry likes moist, evenly moist, soil. It is important to not allow the soil to dry out and then become soggy as this can cause root rot. During growing season, water the plant regularly and allow the top inch of soil to dry out between watering. In the cooler months, waters lightly and only when the soil is dry.