Add charm to your garden with this shrub.
The berries hold well into the winter, making a delicious treat for birds.
In addition to the native American beautyberry, Japanese beautyberry (C. and Chinese beautyberry (C. They also set the stage for fall’s grand finale.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Long-lasting beautyberry branches make colorful additions tocut flower arrangements.
Beautyberry does well in mass plantings and is a spectacular fall specimen plant.
How and When to Plant Beautyberry
Nursery-grown beautyberry shrubs can be planted in either spring or fall.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Only one shrub is needed for berry production, but the yield increases with more than one.
When planting multiple shrubs, space them 5-7 feet apart, depending on the variety.
Beautyberry Care Tips
Beautyberry is a low-maintenace, easy-to-grow shrub.
Credit: Doug Hetherington
Beautyberry grows in part shade, but it displays a looser habit and bears less fruit.
Soil and Water
In a garden setting, beautyberry prefers moist,well-drained soilswith some organic matter.
Beautyberry shrubs alsotolerate clay soilsas long as they don’t remain wet for long periods.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Give the shrub about 1 inch of water weekly during dry periods; it can tolerate some drought.
When its moisture needs are met, it has a good heat tolerance.
Fertilizer
When planted in the proper soil, beautyberry does not require fertilization.
Credit: Susan A. Roth
Fertilizer promotes more foliage and less fruit.
Pruning
Prune this shrubin late winter.
It blooms on new wood in spring, so you don’t want to prune it then.
Credit: Bill Stites
Fill the container with garden soilmixed with compostand toss in some organic matter.
The planting medium should remain moist at all times.
Press down with your hands on the soil to remove any air pockets.
Credit: Denny Schrock
The shrub can be pruned in winter to maintain its size, so it never has to be repotted.
Pests and Problems
Beautyberry isn’t affected by pests or diseases.
Seed:Pick several mature berries in late fall.
Each berry contains 2-4 seeds.
Soak the berries in water for 24 hours.
The mature seeds will sink to the bottom, while immature seeds and pulp will float.
Strain off the floating material and discard it.
Then strain out the mature seeds at the bottom and spread them on a paper towel to dry.
When you are ready to plant, soak the mature seeds in water.
Water the pots and put them in a warm sunny space.
Mist the planting mix regularly until the seedlings are ready to transplant.
Germination takes three months.
Cuttings: In spring, take 4- to 6-inch softwood cuttings from new growth.
Each cutting should have two or three sets of leaves.
Put a clear plastic bag over each pot and cutting and put it in bright but indirect light.
Remove the bag and mist the soil regularly.
When you see new growth on the cutting, rooting has started.
Remove the bag permanently.
The cuttings take six to 10 weeks to grow big enough to transplant.
Types of Beautyberry
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americanais a handsome, North American native plant.
It bears pretty lilac flowers in the spring, followed by clusters of purple fruit in autumn.
It grows 3-5 feet tall and wide.
Zones 5-8
Mexican Beautyberry
Callicarpa acuminatabears clumps of wine-red berries in the late summer and fall.
It grows 6- 8 feet tall and wide.
It grows 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
It grows 4 feet tall and wide.
It grows 3-6 feet tall.
Innovations
Because of beautyberry’s increasing popularity, breeders are working to develop hybrids with expanded hardiness.
Breeders are also trying to develop earlier-fruiting varieties and varieties that bear larger or different-colored fruit.
The Chinese beautyberry has a greater cold tolerance and is usually a smaller plant.
American beautyberry shrubs will thrive in good conditions in a home garden for up to 30 years.
