American Beautyberry

More gardeners than ever are interested in having native plants in their landscapes. One native plant you might like to include in your landscape is the American beautyberry. The deciduous native American beautyberry is the variety with which gardeners are the most familiar. It grows three to five feet tall and wide. This plant makes quite a statement in the landscape, but it gets its name from a gorgeous display of bright purple berries in the fall. In the summer, inconspicuous white or light pink colored flowers can be found in June to July. Beautyberry's small flowers are held in tight clusters near the stems, a display that adds subtle charm to the garden in early summer. Soon after, small green berry clusters form on the stems. As summer winds down, the small green berries that follow the blooms turn a majestic purple that looks especially appealing against the backdrop of lovely green leaves. The beautiful purple berries are bright and shiny, arranged in clusters at the leaf nodes, and held tightly along the arching branches. Beautyberries will grow well in partial shade to full sun in our landscapes and gardens. Long-lasting beautyberry branches can also make colorful additions to cut flower arrangements. I love the American beautyberry in my landscape and recommend you plant one in your landscape too. I’m Eddie Smith, and I will see you next time on Southern Gardening.