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| American Beautyberry |
Recently I confirmed a suspicion of mine, Japanese
Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica) is an invasive exotic. A landscaper had
mistakenly installed a few of these shrubs for a client one winter, to replace
some dead shrubs in a grouping of American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana); now
there are seedlings of Japanese Beautyberry growing in nearby planting beds.
Observing these two species side by side it is easy for me to choose a favorite. The American
Beautyberry has medium-green, medium-textured foliage with rich-colored
violet-magenta fruit clusters that surround stem nodes of gracefully arching branches. This shrub is perfect
for massing between turf and wooded areas and in the naturalized border. The
fruit is not a favorite among wildlife, but will be gobbled up before winter. I have never seen this species re-seed itself.
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| Japanese Beautyberry |
The Japanese Beautyberry by contrast has yellowish-green
foliage of a slightly finer texture and more coolly-colored purple fruit on arched branches that have a more erratic structure. The
flowering and fruiting cycle of the two species is similar, and I would imagine
the flowers and fruit are similarly attractive to pollinators and wildlife
alike. Japanese Beautyberry grows faster, but both species can benefit from
pruning to within 6”of the ground each spring as they bloom on new growth.
There is an abundance of information (and misinformation)
on-line about the many Beautyberry species, some of which have been classified
as invasive (
Callicarpa dichotoma). Jam recipes were surprisingly popular,
which proves the point that when you add enough sugar to anything, it will be
edible! Fall is the time to enjoy this shrub. And this fall, I will appreciate
the native species even more.
