Skip to product information
1 of 1

Callicarpa americana (American Beautyberry)

Callicarpa americana (American Beautyberry)

Quantity
Regular price $ 160.00
Regular price Sale price $ 160.00
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a deciduous shrub with arching stems and fruits clustered along the twigs. Its natural setting is the warm, humid Southeast, so winter conditions deserve careful attention when choosing a site farther north. It grows in several soil types, with clay and loam among its best settings.

Check the product options above for the available format and quantity.

Plant specifications & ecological relationships

Key growing facts

Sunlight Full sun; Partial Shade
Soil moisture Reported soil conditions: good drainage, moist, occasionally dry
Height 3 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Bloom season Spring; Summer
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Soil pH Published cultivation guidance lists acidic, alkaline, neutral soil conditions; no optimal numeric interval is established.
Cultivation hardiness zones Zones 6a–10b (general cultivation guidance)
Drought tolerance Drought tolerance reported in cultivation guidance; establishment needs and duration are not specified.
Deer browsing Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.
Salt tolerance None

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Callicarpa americana
Other common names American Beautyberry; American Mulberry; Beautyberry; French Mulberry; Sour-bush
Seed germination USDA lists cold stratification as not required; seed-lot response may vary.
Plant family Lamiaceae
Seeds per pound — reference estimate 85000

Plant characteristics

Callicarpa americana (American Beautyberry) is typically only hardy in zones 7-11 so probably won't overwinter in the Midwest really well. It is a native woodland plant in the warmer areas of the southeastern states. Its purple fruit is a show stopper!!

  • Flower Color Pink

  • Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates

    Other regional plant communities

    These plants are named with this species in published vegetation accounts. Each list keeps its community and region; some records describe a shared vegetation type rather than neighboring plants in a measured plot. They are ecological records, not a planting recipe, and may include plants unsuitable for a particular garden.

    • Woodland canopy and understory (Southeastern North America; account synthesis): Liquidambar styraciflua, Cornus florida, Carya spp., Quercus spp., Clethra alnifolia, Myrica cerifera, Lyonia lucida, Smilax spp., Leucothoe racemosa.
    Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value

    State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.

    Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest FACU
    Native range — U.S. states Alabama; Arkansas; Florida; Georgia; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; Missouri; North Carolina; Oklahoma; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia
    County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.
    Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlifeNo verified list yet

    No additional named relationships have been verified for this listing.

    Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

    What are the ideal growing conditions for American Beautyberry?
    Light: Full sun; Partial Shade. Soil moisture: Reported soil conditions: good drainage, moist, occasionally dry.

    How do I germinate and establish American Beautyberry from seed?
    USDA lists cold stratification as not required; seed-lot response may vary.

    Is American Beautyberry deer and herbivore resistant?
    Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.

    When should I expect American Beautyberry to bloom?
    Typical flowering period: Spring; Summer. Timing varies with location and weather.

    Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

    Native range & ecological ratings: Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online; USACE National Wetland Plant List.

    Growing conditions & other references: USDA Forest Service: Callicarpa americana; USDA NRCS PLANTS; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.

    Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.

    Research notes & credits

    State nativity: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 4 June 2026 release; taxon Callicarpa americana. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Only records marked native, not extinct and not doubtful are included. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data; no Kew endorsement is implied.

    Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.

    Plant Shipping & Care

    We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.

    As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.

     

    Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories

    • Website orders: Seed, plugs and bare-root plants offered for shipping are shipped to your address. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
    • Container trees and shrubs: Some #3 and #5 container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders where indicated in the cart.
    • Wholesale orders: Delivery and pickup are arranged separately according to the order, supplier yard and location. Wholesale pickup is free.
    • Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.

     

    Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready

    We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.

    Wholesale Orders

    • Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.

     

    Retail & Website Orders

    • Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
    • Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
    • Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
    • If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months. 
    • Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
    • Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
    • If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready.  In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments 
    • Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability.  We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish.  If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date.  If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
    • Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
    • Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.

    Where We Ship

     

     

          What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery

          • Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
          • We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.

           

             Shipments

            • Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.

             

             

            What to Do With Your Plants After  Receiving Your Delivery

            • Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
            • Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
            • Water your plants
            • Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
            • If you cannot install your plants immediately
              • Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
              • Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
              • Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
              • No additional fertilizer is needed
            How to install native plugs
            View full details

            Solving a Site Problem? Get Expert Advice + Get Store Credit

            Whether you're fighting severe erosion, replacing invasive species, designing a pollinator haven, or seeding large acreage, choosing the wrong species wastes time and money. Talk 1-on-1 with a restoration ecologist to map out the exact species, plug counts, or seed mixes for your soil and goals. Book a consultation and get all or a portion credited directly back to your order.

            Questions & Answers loading...