How To Grow and Care For Beautyberry

Beautyberry also known as Callicarpa americana is a deciduous shrub that grows naturally in the southeastern United States. It typically reaches a height and width of 3 to 6 feet, but it can sometimes grow as tall as 9 feet. With a moderate growth rate of about 1 to 2 feet per year, these shrubs are best planted in the fall or spring.

Beautyberry shrubs thrive in full sun to partial shade and prefer moist soil, although they can handle drier conditions. While beautyberries are primarily a food source for wildlife, they are also edible for humans, especially when made into jelly.

Beautyberry Care

To grow beautyberry, plant in soil within its growing zones. It thrives in full sun to partial shade with minimal maintenance and is resistant to pests and diseases. Water it during dry periods and prune to maintain its shape.

Light

Beautyberry shrubs generally do fine either in full sun or partial shade, requiring at least two hours of direct sun per day. They naturally grow on the edges of wooded areas where the amount of sunlight they get can vary. More sunlight will result in higher berry production. However, more sunlight will also increase the shrub’s need for water.

Soil

Beautyberry shrubs prefer friable soil with good drainage, rich in organic matter, and a slightly acidic to neutral pH. They mimic the forest floor but can tolerate most soils, except those severely lacking nutrients.

Water

These plants like moist soil, but they can endure somewhat dry conditions. Roughly 1 inch per week of water is ideal. But if your shrub is in a particularly sunny spot, you’ve had hot weather, or you’ve had minimal rainfall, the plant will likely benefit from more water.

Temperature and Humidity

Beautyberry shrubs thrive throughout their hardiness zones and don’t have any particular temperature or humidity requirements. They have good heat tolerance as long as their moisture needs are met.

Fertilizer

These shrubs generally do not need fertilizer unless you have very nutrient-poor soil. A shovelful or two of compost in the spring can benefit beautyberry’s growth. However, too much fertilizer can result in decreased berry production.

Types of Beautyberry

American beautyberry plants (Callicarpa americana) grow natively in the U.S.; therefore, they are not invasive but can have weedlike properties. Non-native varieties like Callicarpa dichotoma, native to Asia, are considered invasive in Alabama.

There are several types of American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), including:

• ‘Alba’: This beautyberry shrub is known for its white berries.
• ‘Lactea’: This beautyberry also features white fruits.
• ‘Welch’s Pink’: This shrub is known for its pink berries.

Pruning

Prune beautyberry shrubs in late winter before new growth emerges, even if berries remain, as this encourages better future growth.

At the northern end of their growing zones, these shrubs are often pruned down to within 1 foot of the ground each winter because the cold can make the old growth unattractive.

Propagating Beautyberry

The beautyberry shrub will reseed itself, and you can propagate it by digging out volunteer seedlings that pop up around the plant and replanting them in a new location. You can also propagate the shrub from cuttings in late spring or early summer. This is an inexpensive and easy way to make more of a shrub variety that you particularly like. Here’s how:

1. Cut a section of healthy stem that’s around 6 inches long. Avoid old woody stems.
2. Remove any leaves on the lower half of the cutting.
3. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone and plant it in a small container filled with moist, soilless potting mix.
4. Put a clear plastic bag over the container to help retain moisture, and place the container in bright, indirect light.
5. Keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy. Once you see notable foliage growth, you’ll know roots have formed. It can take about two to three months for substantial root growth. Then, the new shrub is ready for transplanting.

How to Grow Beautyberry From Seed

Beautyberry seeds are slow to germinate, and germination is somewhat erratic. To increase your chances of germination, start with a generous amount of seeds.

1. In the fall, gather seeds from very ripe berries. Let them air-dry, and store them in a cool, dark place.
2. Soak the seeds in cool water for 24 hours in late winter to soften the seed coat. Fill 4-inch pots or seedling trays with a seed-starting mix. Water it slowly until the soil is evenly moist.
3. Place around six seeds in each pot, and cover the seeds only lightly with soil.
4. Place the pots indoors near a bright window. Make sure the soil is constantly moist but not soggy. Germination can take up to three months.
5. Keep all but the strongest seedling in each pot, and cut off the rest with scissors. Don’t pull the extra seedlings out, as this can damage the roots of the other seedlings.
6. Once the root system of the new beautyberry has filled the pot (when roots start to grow out of the drain holes), it is ready to be transplanted outdoors.

Potting and Repotting Beautyberry

Beautyberry is a shrub that can grow up to 6 feet tall. It can grow in a container but grows best in the ground. When growing it in a container, plant it in a large, heavy container with ample drainage holes. At the minimum, grow it in an 18-inch diameter container at least 18 inches deep.

Plant it in an enriched potting soil with compost or organic matter. If transplanting from a seedling pot, ensure it has moist soil. Make the planting hole as large as the root ball and set it in the hole, backfilling with soil. Firmly press in the soil to remove air pockets. Prune in winter to keep size manageable. It should never need repotting.

Overwintering

Outside of potentially pruning your shrub close to the ground, no special treatment for the winter is typically necessary. It can survive temperatures as low as -10 F. In colder months, mulch around the base to insulate roots, and in zones colder than USDA zone 6, bring the plant indoors for the winter.

How to Get Beautyberry to Bloom

Beautyberry flowers are largely insignificant, but they are necessary for the fruit production that the shrub is known for. The flowers come in shades of purple, pink, and white. They arrive in the spring and summer, growing in clusters, with each flower stretching less than an inch across.

Insufficient sunlight is often the culprit if your beautyberry isn’t blooming. The shrub also might not be getting enough water. But as long as conditions are right, no special care is typically necessary during the shrub’s bloom time.

Common Problems With Beautyberry

Beautyberry shrubs don’t frequently have issues when grown in the environment they like. They also do not commonly suffer from pests or diseases.

Leaves Turning Brown

In the fall, beautyberry foliage usually turns a golden yellow. However, frost can cause the leaves to go straight from green to brown before they drop for winter. So, if you notice browning leaves in the fall before the yellow fall foliage you’re used to, that might be the culprit. However, the foliage should come back healthy in the spring.