Callicarpa Americana or American beautyberry plant is an access-habitat, native plant of the Southern United States that is commonly set as a decorative in gardens and yards. <!–more–> American beauty berries produce enormous clusters of purple berries that birds and deer consume, spreading the seeds.

History                                            

The roots of this plant were utilized by Native Americans to treat rheumatism, fever, stomachaches, and diarrhea. Farmers used to break the leaves and lay them under the harnesses of horses and mules to repel mosquitoes in the early twentieth century.

American Beautyberry Plant: 

Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana) is an evergreen tree native to the United States’ southern states. On average, it grows between 3 and 6 feet tall and broad, however; It has been observed to grow up to 9 feet tall. It grows slowly, adding 1 to 2 feet every year till maturity. It may be seeded in fall or spring.

While the bright green foliage (ovate, serrated leaves on arching stems) and flowers are unremarkable, the vibrant purple berries that grow in thick clusters are displayed. (White berries can be seen in some varieties.) The berries develop in late summer or early fall and can last into the winter, adding aesthetic interest to the environment and food for animals. The fruits are useful to both humans and animals, and some people use them to make jelly and other food items.

American Beautyberry Overview

Common Name: American beautyberry, beautyberry, French mulberry

Botanical Name:Callicarpa Americana

Family:  Verbenaceae

Plant Type: Shrub

Mature Size:  3–6 ft. tall, 3–6 ft. wide

Sun Exposure:Full, partial

Soil Type:  Loamy, clay, moist, well-drained

Soil pH Acidic: Natural

Bloom Time: Spring, summer

Flower Color: Pink, purple, white

Hardiness Zones: 6–10 (USDA)

Native Areas: North America

Types Of American Beautyberry Plant

American beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana) comes in multiple varieties, including:

Alba:                  The white berries of this beautyberry bush are famous.

Lactea:               This beautyberry has white fruits along with it.

Welch’s Pink:     Pink berries characterize this plant.

Which Season You Can Grow American Beautyberry Plant?

You can grow American Beautyberry Plant from June – August month.

How To Grow American Beautyberry Plant

Beautyberry seeds germinate slowly and with some inconsistency. Begin with numerous sources to maximize your chances of success.

Harvest seeds from overripe berries in the fall. Leave them to air dry before storing them in a cold, dark space.

Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 24 hours in the wintertime to soften the seed coat. Fill 4-inch pots or seedling trays midway with seedling mix. Slowly water it until the soil is evenly saturated.

Put around six seeds in each container and cover them lightly with sand

Place the planters indoors near a bright window. Make sure that it is always wet but not saturated. Germination may require as long as three months

Keep just the strongest seedling in each container and use scissors to remove the remaining seedlings. Pulling away the extra seedlings could damage the roots of the other plants

When the fresh beautyberry’s root system has filled the pot (when roots begin to grow outside the drain holes), it is ready to be moved outside.

American Beautyberry Plant Care

Because of their excellent fruit display, beautiful berry trees are beautiful enough to be used as specimen plants. You may also plant many of them as a boundary Plant beautyberry trees by placing the root ball slightly below ground level and covering it with the soil.

As long as you live inside Beautyberry’s growing zones, the surrounding soil and variables should be sufficient to create a strong plant. This plant is pest and disease resistant. And it prefers low upkeep, especially once established. Plan to water the plant during dry times and trim it as needed to retain the shrub’s shape.

Pruning

Beauty berry bushes are frequently trimmed as desired for form in the late winter before new growth begins because they blossom on new wood Beauty berry berries may survive the winter, bringing a splash of color to your winter environment. However, you ought to continue trimming, even if it involves removing certain berries because it will result in higher berry development in the future.

These trees are usually cut down within 1 foot of the ground each winter close to the northern end of their growing zones since the cold may render the old growth unattractive.

Propagation

The beautyberry plant will self-seed, and you may reproduce it by digging up and transplanting volunteer seedlings that appear around the plant. You can additionally produce the plant by taking cuttings in the late spring or early summer. This is a cheap and straightforward approach to growing more of a shrub kind you enjoy. This is how it’s done:

Cut a decent 6-inch long stem section. The use of aged, woody stems should be avoided.

Trim every leaf from the cutting’s lower half

Plant the cut end in a shallow pot that’s filled with damp soilless potting soil after dipping it in rooting hormone.

Please place it in bright, indirect light and cover it with a visible plastic bag to help preserve moisture

Keep the soil similarly moist but not soaked. You’ll know roots are maturing when you notice significant leaf development. Important root development might take two to three months. The new plant is then ready for the transplantation process.

Soil

Beautyberry plants require friable (crumbly) soil that is high in organic content and drains well. They additionally require soil pH that is slightly acidic to natural. This is similar to how they build on the forest floor They can, however, live in most soil types, including clay, with the exception of soil that is extremely low in nutrients.

Fertilizer

Unless you have severely lacking nutrients soil, these plants rarely require fertilizer. In the spring, a shovelful of compost can help Beautyberry thrive. However, too much fertilizer might reduce berry output.

Beautyberry trees flourish in either full sun or partial shade, preferring at least two hours of direct sunlight daily. They naturally grow on the outer edges of forest regions, where the quantity of sun varies. More sun will increase berry results. More sun, on the other hand, will increase the shrub’s thirst for water.

Water

These plants like moist soil, but they may survive moderate dryness. One inch of water each week is remarkable. However, if your plant is in a very sunny location, you’ve had hot weather, or there has been little rain, the plant will likely benefit from more water.

Temperature And Humidity

Beautyberry trees grow in all seasons and have no specific temperature or humidity needs. They can tolerate heat as long as their water requirements are maintained.

Pests And Diseases

The only known pests of Beauty’s berry are mammals that eat its berries.

They can, however, live in most soil types, including clay, with the exception of soil that is extremely low in nutrients.

Common Problems With American Beautyberry Plant

Beautyberry trees rarely encounter problems when grown in their preferred environment. Average growth, on the other hand, can be driven by a multitude of factors.

Conclusion

Callicarpa is a massive tree family with over a hundred species worldwide, the majority of which live in tropical regions. However, numerous species thrive in temperate climates and make an excellent complement to North American gardens The name Callicarpa is derived from the Greek words callos and carpos, which mean “beauty” and “fruit.”

References:

https://www.wikipedia.org/