Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Lamiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Callicarpa americana
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about American Beautyberry at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a great shrub for woodland borders or a sunny patch with moist, acidic soils. Before you head out to get one, though, you’ll want to learn a few of its features to make sure you don’t buy one of the more common, non-native imposters. Continue reading at Southern Piedmont Natural History.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Callicarpa americana
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 162-04-001:
Callicarpa americana FAMILY Verbenaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Callicarpa americana
COMMON NAME:
American Beautyberry, French-mulberry, Beautybush
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_caam2_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_caam2_012_lvd
)
Patrick D. McMillan pdmcamericana_cabins1
June? Clarendon County SC
Flowers small, tubular, appearing from leaf axils in mid to late summer. — Patrick McMillan
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JK Marlow jkm0307j_18
July Buncombe County NC
NC Arboretum
The flowers are in axillary clusters, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
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JK Marlow jkm220705_8908
July Greenville County SC
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm0308g_25
August Chester County SC
Landsford Canal State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm070802_016
August Pickens County SC
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JK Marlow jkm0309j_22
September Greenville County SC
Fruit numerous, small, 0.25" diameter, bright purple. — Patrick McMillan
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JK Marlow jkm0309q_17
September Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
Leaves 7-23cm long, stellate-scurfy below (vs. C. dichotoma ~ glabrous below), per Weakley's Flora.
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JK Marlow jkm0309q_20
September Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
Height usually 4 to 6', per Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Wasowski & Wasowski, 1994, 2020).
)
JK Marlow jkm130913_329
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Leaves opposite or sub-opposite, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm130913_329b
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Scurfy, stellate-pubescent twigs, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm200920_7276
September Pickens County SC
Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm200920_7280
September Pickens County SC
Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm200920_7282
September Pickens County SC
Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_callicarpa_americana
September
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Paul Thompson pstcallicarpa_americana
September?
Leaf shape is elliptical; leaf margin is serrate. — Clemson Extension
)
JK Marlow jkm151009_391
October Pickens County SC
Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm231010_5942
October Pickens County SC
Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow s081012_e
October Pickens County SC
Clemson Forest
Leaves ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic, acute to acuminate, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Harry Davis hld233_mg_0057
November Greenville County SC
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Callicarpa americana
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Callicarpa americana
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 162-04-001:
Callicarpa americana
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Callicarpa americana
233
Shrub
Perennial
Habitat: hammocks, other forests (especially with sandy or rocky soils), maritime forests (the main habitat northward), pine flatwoods, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common (uncommon in GA Mountains, rare in Carolina Mountains)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Opposite or subopposite
FLOWER:
Summer
Lavender/ Pinkish
5-toothed calyx
5-lobed corolla
4 exserted stamens, attached to corolla tube
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Violet/ Purple
Drupe
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005) p316
- Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Wasowski & Wasowski, 1994, 2020) p079
- Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee (Hunter, 2002) p238
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p151
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p197
- How to Recognize Shrubs (Grimm, 1966) p255
- Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants p124
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p122
- Guide to the Plants of Granite Outcrops (Murdy & Carter, 2000) p56
- Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia (Chafin, 2007) p067
- Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995) p090
- Wild Flowers of NC, 2nd edition (Justice, Bell, & Lindsey, 2005) p214
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p342
- Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005) p213
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p16
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p082
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p142
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