Beauty Berry Live Plant

🌿 Beauty Berry (Callicarpa spp.)
🔍 General Overview

Common name: Beauty berry

Scientific name: Callicarpa americana, Callicarpa japonica, Callicarpa dichotoma, etc.

Family: Lamiaceae (mint family; formerly placed in Verbenaceae)

Type: Deciduous shrub (some species are evergreen in the tropics)

Origin: Found across Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

Callicarpa americana — native to North America

Callicarpa japonica and C. dichotoma — native to East Asia

🌱 Physical Description

Height & Spread:
Typically 1.2–2.5 m (4–8 ft) tall and wide; forms a rounded, arching shrub.

Leaves:
Opposite, simple, oval leaves (5–15 cm long).

Green in summer, turning yellow or reddish in autumn before dropping.

Lightly hairy on both surfaces.

Flowers:

Small, pale pink to lavender clusters (cyme) form in leaf axils during late spring or early summer.

Flowers attract bees and butterflies.

Fruits (Berries):

Shiny, bead-like drupes in dense clusters around the stems.

Most commonly metallic purple or violet, but some cultivars produce white or pink berries.

Fruits appear in late summer to autumn and often persist into early winter, adding ornamental interest.

🌸 Flowering and Fruiting Season

Bloom time: Late spring to mid-summer

Berry display: Late summer through winter

In tropical or subtropical climates (like West Bengal), fruiting can begin earlier and last longer.

🌾 Growing Conditions

Light: Full sun to partial shade (more berries in full sun).

Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, but tolerates a range of soil types.

Water: Moderate — keep soil evenly moist, especially when young.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (around 5.5–7.0).

Temperature: Hardy in most warm to temperate climates; tropical varieties do well in India.

Humidity: Performs well in humid regions like Howrah, West Bengal.

✂️ Maintenance

Pruning:

Prune in late winter or early spring to remove dead wood and shape the shrub.

Flowers and fruits develop on new growth, so pruning encourages better berry display.

Fertilization:

Apply compost or balanced fertilizer once a year during spring.

Propagation:

By semi-hardwood cuttings (summer) or by seed (though slower).

🌺 Landscape & Uses

Ornamental use: Excellent for hedges, borders, and wildlife gardens.

Wildlife value: Berries attract birds and small mammals. Flowers attract bees and butterflies.

Edibility:

Berries of Callicarpa americana are edible when cooked (used in jellies), though raw fruits are mildly astringent.

Other species are mainly ornamental.

Medicinal/Traditional uses: Some cultures use the leaves for insect-repellent properties.