American Beauty Berry (Callicarpa americana) is a nifty little shrub I first discovered growing right outside my office window. Like most of the plants I talk about, once I realized the bush I almost cut down was actually useful, I went straight down the research rabbit hole. Once you learn to recognize plants, you’ll start seeing them everywhere—and I have. There’s even a small patch growing down by the pond.
Beauty Berry plants produce vibrant magenta to deep purple berries that are most commonly used to make jelly. There’s also Callicarpa japonica, a white-berried Japanese variety, which is edible as well. The berries aren’t particularly flavorful when raw and tend to have a mealy texture, but the plant has additional traditional uses. The root bark has been used in tisanes (similar to an infusion, though since it's bark, a decoction may be more effective) for dysentery and stomach aches. The leaves and roots have also been used in soothing sweat baths for rheumatism. Birds and squirrels adore the berries, so expect some competition if you’re gathering them for jelly.
If you want to eat the berries, it’s wise to start with a small amount to make sure they don’t upset your stomach. Some people experience discomfort from them, but not everyone.
For mosquito repellent, the most effective method isn’t simply crushing leaves—it's extracting or distilling a compound called callicarpenal, which researchers have found to be stronger than DEET. You won’t get that level of effectiveness just by rubbing leaves on your skin, but it can help.
The plant’s features are fairly easy to learn:
-Large, grape-like leaves grow in pairs opposite each other along the branches.
-Leaves are roughly hand-length with small toothed edges and alternating veins branching from the center vein.
-Leaves appear in late spring; clusters of pink or purple flowers form at their bases in early summer.
-Flowers develop into small white or pink berries that ripen to magenta or deep purple in late summer and early fall.
-Plants are typically 3–5 feet tall, but in some areas can reach up to 9 feet.
Research indicates that Beauty Berry leaves contain compounds similar to those found in commercial mosquito repellents, but their toxicity hasn’t been fully determined. Because of this, it’s best to rub crushed leaves onto clothing rather than bare skin. And don’t chew the leaves.
Looking closely, you can see the developing berries on the stems. They form in clusters around the stem, at the base of the leaves, rather than hanging off the plant like Pokeweed, for instance. Once ripe, they will turn a beautiful fuchsia color.
Bush is around 4-5 feet tall. Plentiful around the base of oak trees in my area.
Berries are ripe for the picking in late September in East Texas.
BEAUTY BERRY JELLY
-Add 1.5 quarts of washed berries and 1 quart of water in a sauce pot.
-Boil for 20 minutes. Strain out solids.
-Add 4 1/2 cups sugar and 1 envelope of standard pectin, like SureJell
-Mix well and boil for 2 minutes. Scrape off any foam.
-Pour into sterilized mason jars.
-Cap and flip upside down for 5 minutes and then flip back over to finish sealing.
–If it doesn’t set up how you want it to, add another 1/4 of an envelope of pectin. Or skip it entirely and make syrup!
Some say that it tastes like roses and champagne!
This link here is an article that discusses Beauty Berry as a medicinal plant. In general, I find it hard to find much on the medicinal properties of the plant. It isn’t in any of my backyard or medicinal plants books, not even in my herbal medicine encyclopedia. Maybe this link will spark your curiosity to delve deeper!
Leave a comment below if you know of medicinal uses for Beauty Berries and how to use them safely.
Accurate plant identification is essential. Many species have close relatives or look-alikes that can be harmful if used incorrectly. Always verify a plant’s identity with 100% certainty using multiple reliable sources such as regional field guides, herbarium references, or consultation with a trained botanist, herbalist, or extension service. Do not harvest, consume, or apply any plant unless you are completely confident in its identification.
