Common Beautyberry Bush

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3 - 6 Feet

Mature Spread

3 - 6 Feet

Growing Zones

7 to 11

Beautyberry Bush is fantastic for adding a pop of color to the garden in late summer and fall. For most of the year, this bush makes a lovely backdrop to a garden border with medium-sized, green leaves. As the summer comes to a close, this bush explodes into bloom and forms purple berries that stay on the shrub as the leaves fall in autumn. Callicarpa americana is low maintenance and can be used in naturalized areas to attract wildlife and provide food for the winter.

Beautyberry Bush is easy to grow and has few pests or disease problems. It is a fast-growing shrub that can quickly fill the garden's open areas. The deciduous leaves develop lovely autumn color as they fall to reveal the intensely colored berries. Callicarpa is a North American native from the Southeastern states and grows well in almost all USDA growing zones.

Beautyberry Bush Care

Beautyberry tolerates any native soil. Clay to sandy soil is fine as long as it is well-draining year-round. Place this shrub in full sun to partial shade to promote the most flowering and berry formation. Fertilizing is rarely needed for native shrubs. Apply a layer of organic compost around the root zone of Beautyberry in early spring to support this bush’s nutrition through the growing season. Supplemental watering is needed during periods of drought and high heat. 

Regular pruning is unnecessary and may cause Beautyberry to form large water sprout branches. Every 3-4 years, prune out one-third of the largest branches down to the ground. This shrub is naturally vase-shaped and develops new branches at the base, called canes, every year. Thinning out the oldest and largest canes encourages fresh new growth. The best time of year for the pruning is late in the winter, right before new growth begins.

Beautyberry Shrub Spacing

Callicarpa is best planted as a specimen shrub. The overall size is large and not easy to add to established plantings. Give Beautyberry Shrub at least 3 feet of space from other trees and shrubs. The arching branches can spread 6-8 feet when left to grow naturally.