Tennessee Native Plant Society
Native Plant of the Month
November, 2006
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Sometimes a plant is showier in fruit than in flower, and few of our native species can rival the American
Beautyberry in terms of its attractiveness when in fruit. In September, the tightly packed clusters of fruits in the
leaf axils ripen to a lustrous amethyst purple. The contrast with the chartreuse leaves is especially striking.
This shrub can be found scattered across the state in dry, rocky woods and openings. It exhibits a
multi-stemmed growth habit attaining a height and width up to 10 feet. The small lavender flowers appear in
late spring, but it is the berries that command attention well into the winter when they are eventually eaten by
wildlife or fall from the plant.
