American Beautyberry is a Texas native perennial that you might see growing wild along the river banks. It grows naturally in the sun as well as in the shade.
For the majority of the spring thru early fall, the American Beautyberry is a nice green branching shrub. At the end of summer as fall approaches, you will see small pink blooms start to cover the branches. These little blooms will turn into green berries that will later turn into the purple berries as shown in the photo.
American Beautyberry
As we approach late fall and winter, the leaves will drop off and you will have sticks covered in the brilliant purple berries. It is a beautiful sight and the birds adore the berries. They are similar to the Possumhaw in this manner.
The American Beautyberry are deciduous and can grow to heights of up 6 feet at maturity. If you would like them shorter, they are easily kept in the 4 foot range, with a little trim here and there.
Depending on your garden design, they can be alone to create a sprawling natural look or pruned to provide a more manicured look. However you choose to apply them in your landscape, they are beautiful additions which have seasonal interest. They are drought tolerant once established. They can survive in an area that gets more water, just make sure they have good drainage.
In conclusion, the American Beautyberry is an excellent choice to add to your landscape. It provides color, texture, movement as well as a buffet for the birds!
