American Beautyberry Callicarpa Americana 3 Gal

The American beautyberry is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the mint family. It is native to the central and southeastern United States, Bermuda, and Cuba. The shrub produces showy purple fruits in the fall that are arranged in clusters along the stems and in the axils of the leaves. The fruits are a good food source for songbirds and small mammals. The shrub prefers full sun to part shade and is intolerant of deep shade. It will grow in all types of soil provided there is good drainage. Pruning is best done in late winter. Prune low and avoid fertilizer to reduce height and fruit set. It is recommended that old canes be removed for rejuvenation of the shrub because the flowers and fruits appear on new shoots. The leaves, when crushed, produce a chemical that can repel mosquitos, ticks, and fire ants. This shrub is suited for mass plantings, large landscapes, naturalized areas, pond margins and container gardening. They seem to produce more fruit if several more of the same type of shrubs are planted nearby.