• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
Somervell County Master Gardeners
Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Gardening Info
  • News
  • Members Only
    • Members Hour Form
    • Meeting and Financial Documents
    • Constitution and By- Laws

American BeautyBerry

November 2, 2014 by Donna Hagar

By Donna Hagar, Somervell County Master Gardener

Common Name: American Beautyberry – Botanical name: Callicara americana

beautyberryAmerican beautyberry is a fast growing native perennial shrub; growing five to eight feet tall and almost as wide. It has long, arching branches and yellow-green fall foliage, but its most striking feature is the clusters of glossy, iridescent – purple fruit (sometimes white) which hug the branches in clusters along the branches in the fall and winter.

The fruit is an important food source for more than forty species of songbirds. The berry clusters are eaten by armadillo, foxes, opossum, raccoon and squirrels. White tailed deer consume the fruit in the fall after leaf drop. They will also browse the leaves in summer when highly preferred foods are not available.

The roots, leaves, and branches were used by various Native American tribes for medicinal purposes to treat fevers and rheumatism. In the early 20th century, farmers would crush the leaves and place them under the harnesses of horses and mules to repel mosquitoes. The farmers rubbed the crushed leaves on themselves to repel mosquitoes and biting bugs.

American beautyberry is used as an ornamental shrub in mass plantings or borders or can stand alone as a speciman shrub. It is best suited to semi-shaded sites with some moisture. It is remarkably tolerant of various soils and habitats.

I can attest that this is one hardy shrub. I transplanted a sapling from a friend in the dead heat of August. It has been dug up by armadillos and my chickens several times, but hasn’t given up yet! Maybe next year the chickens will be able to eat the berries!

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Favorite Plants, Newsletters

Upcoming Events

Jun 21
10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Monthly Meeting

Jul 19
10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Monthly Meeting

Aug 16
10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Monthly Meeting

Sep 20
10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Monthly Meeting

Oct 18
10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Monthly Meeting

View Calendar

Get Updates

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

RSS Recent Posts

  • UPDATE – May 8 CHES – Gardening for Pollinators with Addison Singleton
  • May 8 CHES – Gardening for Pollinators with Addison Singleton
  • Plant Sale Saturday!!
  • Vegetable Gardening in North Texas

Administrator Only

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System Member
  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information