Last Updated on March 1, 2024 by Aaron von Frank
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is an attractive, common landscape shrub native to the Southeastern United States. It produces edible berries that can be turned into flavorful recipes as well as leaves that can be used as an effective mosquito repellent. Below, you’ll find out how to ID, grow, and use American beautyberries!
Table of contents:
1. Introduction to beautyberries
2. American vs Asian beautyberries (with video comparison)
3. How to grow and harvest American beautyberries
4. Beautyberry medicinal uses and insect repellent
5. How to eat beautyberries – with recipes!
Ripe beautyberries in our harvest basket.
1. AN INTRODUCTION TO BEAUTYBERRIES (CALLICARPA SPP.)
Beautyberries are an attractive and useful shrub that produce small berry clusters which ripen in fall and remain on the plant for months thereafter. Unique beautyberries species grow natively around the world.
Since we live in South Carolina, our favorite beautyberry is our native species, American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). We use this plant for food, mosquito repellent, edible landscaping, and its many benefits for native wildlife.
Pregnant Tyrant picking ripe American beautyberries.
A closer look at American beautyberries
Let’s take a deeper dive into American beautyberries (Callicarpa americana):
Geographic range:
American beautyberries are native to the southeastern United States from Texas to Florida and as far north as Virginia. Its range also extends into the Caribbean and northern Mexico.
Habitat:
American beautyberries are robust plants that can survive in a wide range of environmental conditions. We’ve seen the plants growing wild in our area (Upstate South Carolina) in forest, field, and edge habitats alike.
Wildlife benefits:
American beautyberry plants provide numerous wildlife benefits:
- The flowers provide pollen and nectar for native bees and butterflies.
- It’s a host plant for multiple pollinators, including spring azure butterflies (Celastrina ladon) and snowberry clearwing moths (Hemaris diffinis).
- It creates habitat for bird nests as well as native insects like Carolina mantises. We often see mantis egg casings/oothecae stuck to beautyberry branches after the leaves drop.
- The ripe fruit is a nutrient-rich food for numerous bird and mammal species during winter when other fruit is scarce.
Beautyberry leaves can be popular with deer, so you may need to take extra precautions to keep deer out if you’re growing beautyberry plants in your yard.
Ornamental landscape plant:
American beautyberries are also a very popular landscape plant due to:
- how easy they are to grow (as most native plants are),
- their compact growth habit which requires no pruning, and
- their attractive, colorful berries.
Since their showy berry clusters remain on the plant even after the leaves have dropped, American beautyberries make an attractive winter garden plant in an ornamental landscape.
Unfortunately, we also see a lot of non-native beautyberry species in commercial and home landscapes. Some of these, like Asian beautyberries, are considered invasive species and can also hybridize with native beautyberries, thereby creating genetic pollution.
One of the non-native Asian beautyberry species beginning to ripen from green to purple in late summer in South Carolina. How to tell this isn’t an American beautyberry? The easiest way: more loosely formed fruit clusters on small stems (called peduncles) that dangle off the main branch. Long weeping branches (rather than upright branches) also help make the ID.
Since beautyberries are a popular landscape plant, the easiest way to forage them is to find them growing at local parks rather than in the wild. If you forage them from a public space, try to avoid spots where pesticides have been used.
2. AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRIES VERSUS ASIAN BEAUTYBERRIES: HOW TO TELL THEM APART
As a supplement to the video above, here are three ways you can tell the difference between native American beautyberries (Callicarpa americana) and non-native Asian beautyberries (C. bodinieri and C. japonica):
1. Asian beautyberries ripen earlier.
American beautyberries *fully ripen later than non-native beautyberries. (*Fully ripen meaning all fruit on the plant is deep lilac in color. There are also bred white beautyberry varieties such as ‘Alba’, so this distinction does not apply there.)
For instance, some Asian beautyberry plants we forage have fully ripe berries by late August-early September, whereas American beautyberries won’t fully ripen until October.
2. Asian beautyberries have longer, clearly visible peduncles.
Asian beautyberries feature loosely formed berry clusters on peduncles/stems that visibly dangle off of the main branch. However, American beautyberries form tight clusters wrapped right around the branch (no visible peduncles).
This feature is the easiest way to distinguish between native and non-native beautyberries when they’re fruiting!
American beautberry (left) vs Asian beautyberry (right). Note the dense fruit clusters and location of the fruit clusters right around the main branch on the American beautyberry. Asian beautyberries have smaller clusters that form on visible peduncles. Also, the American beautyberry’s branches are much more upright compared to the weeping branches of Asian beautyberries.
3. Plant size, leaf size, and growth habit.
American beautyberry plants are larger and more upright than Asian species, which tend to be shorter with deeply arching, weeping branches. American beautyberry leaves also tend to be longer than Asian species (3-6″ inches long vs. 1-3″ long), but this is not always the case.
There are numerous beautyberry species, cultivars, and hybrids, so each of these distinctions may not always hold true.
Are beautyberries edible? What do they taste like?
Yes, beautyberries are edible. Raw fresh beautyberries are mildly sweet and have spicy notes somewhat similar to Asian five spice.
The fruit pulp is more pithy than juicy. Each berry contains a few small seeds which can also be eaten.
We’ve also found that different beautyberry species have slightly different flavors:
- American beautyberries are generally much more intensely spice-flavored and less sweet than Asian beautyberries. Due to their more intense flavor, we prefer American beautyberries for recipes.
- Asian beautyberries are generally much less intensely spice flavored but more sweet than American beautyberries. Arguably, this might make them better for fresh eating, but not as good for cooked recipes.
Beautyberries aren’t a fruit you’ll want to eat by the handful like blackberries or strawberries, but they can be used to make a number of very tasty recipes, which we’ll detail below.
Berry production: What’s the per-plant yield?
A single mature American beautyberry plant can produce 3-5 pounds of fruit in a growing season.
When do you harvest American beautyberries?
American beautyberries are best harvested from fall through early winter. The entire fruit cluster should be fully purple/lilac in color when harvesting. Unripe fruit or brown/freeze-damaged fruit should be avoided.
Beautyberries’ flavor is best after nighttime temperatures start dipping into the low 40s and upper 30s, but before they’ve experiencing multiple deep freezes.
When do American beautyberries flower?
From late spring through early summer, beautyberry plants are covered in small clusters of inconspicuous flowers ranging in color from white to pink to purple. The flowers are quite popular with native pollinators (especially native bees), so you’ll enjoy a pleasant humming sound if you approach a beautyberry plant in flower!
Beautyberry flowers in early July in Ag Zone 7b.
3. HOW TO GROW AND HARVEST AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRIES
American beautyberries are an attractive, low-maintenance shrub that’s ideal for growing in Southeastern landscapes.
Here’s the basic information you need to know before growing them:
Hardiness zones:
Grows from Ag Zones 7-11.
Size and growth habit:
American beautyberry shrubs feature a compact growth habit, maturing to about 5′ tall x 5′ wide. In ideal conditions (full sun, rich moist soil), they can grow much larger. The largest American beautyberry plant we’ve seen is about 8’ tall x 8’ wide.
Spacing and placement recommendations:
We recommend growing American beautyberries spaced about 5’ apart, so they mature into a snug hedge. We also recommend growing them as a second or third row plant in an edible home landscape, with smaller plants in front.
Light requirements:
American beautyberry plants prefer full sun and will produce the most berries when grown in full sun. They can tolerate partial shade, but will not grow well in full shade.
Soil types:
American beautyberry plants will grow best in well-draining, rich soils with high organic matter. However, they are robust plants that can tolerant a wide range of soil types including clay, sand, and loam. Likewise, they can also tolerate a wide range of soil pH levels, from 4.8 to 7.0.
Recommendation: Maintain a 3-5″ layer of wood chips/mulch on the soil surface around your American beautyberry plants to help maintain ideal soil conditions and biological fertility.
Water, temperature, and humidity requirements
Young 1-3 year old American beautyberry plants will benefit from receiving 1” of water per week during summer via rain or irrigation. However, mature 3+ year old established plants have exceptional drought and heat tolerance, and will likely require no supplemental irrigation, even in summer.
Yes, we’ve seen American beautyberry plants thrive through an intense South Carolina summer drought. We had almost no rain for 8 weeks, and temperatures stayed in the low to mid 90s throughout. Nevertheless, mature American beautyberry plants survived with no irrigation — and still produced berries, albeit fewer and smaller berries than normal.
Conversely, since American beautyberries are native to the Southeast, they’re also very tolerant of heavy rainfalls and hot humid conditions.
The only thing American beautyberries can’t tolerate is extreme cold, hence why they have trouble growing below Zone 7. If winter temps regularly dip into the single digits or below, the plants could be killed — especially young plants, which are more vulnerable.
Anyone in colder zones intent on growing American beautyberries may want to grow them in pots, so the plants can be moved to provide winter protection.
Lifespan:
In ideal conditions, an American beautyberry plant can live for 30 or more years.
Where to get your first American beautyberry plants
Get beautyberry plants from a local nursery if you want to start with larger plants. Just make sure the nursery is 100% certain they’re carrying American beautyberries (Callicarpa americana), not a non-native species.
You can also start your own American beautyberry plants by growing them from stem cuttings or seed. Here’s how:
How to grow American beautyberries from cuttings:
1. Remove 4-6″ cuttings from the tops of mature beautyberry branches in the spring shortly after the plants have broken dormancy. Do this before they’ve gone into reproductive mode, aka started flowering.
2. Remove bottom leaves and dip bottom 3″ of cuttings in rooting hormone.
3. Transplant to small containers filled with damp potting soil.
4. For first 2 weeks, keep cutting(s) outdoors in shaded spot and make sure the soil remains damp, but not wet. Mist the plants once per day.
5. Roots should begin developing within a few weeks. Once you see clear signs of new growth and vigor, bring the plants into part- to full-sun location.
6. Transplant young plants into their final spots the following spring, or pot up to larger pots for 1-2 more years if more mature transplants desired.
How to grow American beautyberries from seed:
Inside each small purple beautyberry, you’ll find about four small yellow seeds. Each seed can be used to grow a new beautyberry plant.
1. Collect past-ripe beautyberries in late fall or early winter, at least 1 month after your first freeze. Remove seeds and let them dry indoors. (Each berry contains 2-4 seeds).
American beautyberry seeds don’t technically require cold stratification, but you’ll have better germination rates using this method.
2. In late winter, sow individual seeds about 1/4″ deep in small containers with seed starting mix.
3. Keep soil damp but not wet. Seeds should germinate within 2-3 weeks. After germination, place containers outdoors in a sunny spot. Keep watered throughout summer; pot up to larger container and fertilize as necessary.
4. Transplant into final outdoor spot the following spring — or pot up to a larger container and transplant larger plants after 2-3 years.
How to harvest American beautyberries
As a newbie, you might consider being a “dainty” beautyberry picker – aka pulling off individual berries from the bush. This will be an arduous process given how small and densely clustered the berries are.
Instead, here’s how we pick gallons of beautyberries in a matter of minutes: one person holds a harvest basket underneath a beautyberry branch while the other person strips off entire clusters with one hand and holds the branch steady with the other. Move to the next branch and continue.
Perfectly ripe clusters of American beautyberries can easily be stripped off of the plant in their entirety by swiping your hand down the stem of the plant.
Yes, this will result in some leaves ending up in your harvest basket but those can easily be removed later.
Beautyberry Warning:
Some people can have an allergic skin reaction to beautyberry leaves. Be aware of this possibility and tread lightly your first time picking beautyberries until you know you’re not allergic. You may also want to wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves while harvesting to prevent itchiness.
4. BEAUTYBERRY’S OTHER USES
Beautyberry medicinal uses
In addition to using American beautyberries as food, Native Americans made use of the plant for medicinal purposes. The USDA’s Plant Fact Sheet on beautyberries gives an overview of how Native American populations and early European settlers used beautyberry plants:
“The roots, leaves, and branches were used by various Native American tribes for medicinal purposes to treat malarial fevers and rheumatism. The roots were used to treat dizziness, stomachaches and dysentery. Roots and berries were boiled and drunk to treat colic. In the early 20th century, farmers would crush the leaves and place them under the harnesses of horses and mules to repel mosquitoes. The farmers rubbed the crushed leaves on themselves to repel mosquitoes and biting bugs.”
Asian beautyberries turning purple in mid-August. Even though the berries aren’t fully ripe, the leaves are in perfect shape for using as a mosquito and tick deterrent.
The result is a highly effective single-ingredient botanical insect repellent. (*Again, before you go all-in with this remedy note that beautyberry leaves do cause contact dermatitis/allergic reactions in some people, so tread lightly until you know how you’ll react.)
Now, in case you’re wondering, this isn’t simply a folk remedy. Modern science has proven the efficacy of beautyberry leaves to repel mosquitoes. Excerpt from USDA scientists discussing these findings:
“Traditional folklore remedies many times are found to lead nowhere following scientific research,” he [Charles Cantrell, an ARS chemist in Oxford] continued. “The beautyberry plant and its ability to repel mosquitoes is an exception. We actually identified naturally occurring chemicals in the plant responsible for this activity.”
Three repellent chemicals were extracted during the 12-month study: callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol. The research concluded that all three chemicals repulse mosquitoes known to transmit yellow fever and malaria.
Yet another reason to grow or forage for beautyberries!
Side note: I also crush fresh home-grown catnip leaves in my hands, rub them on my skin, and find it also repels mosquitos. No, beautyberries aren’t the only plant you can grow to use as a mosquito repellent. However, catnip leaves are only available in the spring and early summer, whereas beautyberry leaves are available all summer long. (Read: From the scientists: how to use catnip as a mosquito repellent and 13 edible plants you can grow and use to repel mosquitoes.)
5. HOW TO EAT BEAUTYBERRIES – WITH RECIPES
As mentioned throughout this article, beautyberries are indeed edible. They’re just not something you’ll want to eat raw by the handful. However, we find them delicious once cooked and used in recipes.
Beautyberry honey jello makes a colorful, tasty seasonal dessert that kids will also love. Recipe below!
Preparing beautyberries for recipes
Our favorite thing to do with beautyberries is to make a concentrated beautyberry “juice” that we then use to make into other beautyberry recipes. Here’s how:
1. Put equal quantities of fresh beautyberries and water into a pot on your stove (example 5 cups beautyberries and 5 cups water).
2. Bring to low boil for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Your beautyberries will lose their color as you cook them. Don’t worry! All that beautiful color stays in the final juice when you strain them.
3. Initial straining- Strain through metal pasta strainer to remove seeds and skin.
The first straining removes the beautyberry pulp and seeds.
4. Final straining into jars – Strain through finer-meshed strainer when pouring into jars for storage to remove smaller bits/sediment.
Preparing for a second finer straining to remove any additional sediment as the beautyberry juice is poured into jars.
5. Put jars of beautyberry juice in the fridge. These can be stored for up to a month. You can also make beautyberry ice cubes, then put the ice cubes into freezer bags for long-term storage.
A jar of pure beautyberry juice ready for the fridge and future beautyberry recipes!
What does the base unsweetened beautyberry concentrate/juice taste like? Almost exactly like hibiscus roselle tea (from Hibiscus sabdariffa). Tangy, slightly sweet, with interesting mildly spicy notes at the end.
Beautyberry nutritional content
While there’s no available data on beautyberry nutrition, our guess — based on the berries’ flavor and color — is that beautyberries:
- have high Vitamin C levels (hence their tang),
- contain high concentrations of other vitamins and minerals,
- have high levels of carbohydrates, like other berries (sweet),
- have very high fiber content (if eaten raw with seeds and skin),
- contain high levels of beneficial antioxidant compounds, which give them their purple color.
Beautyberry recipes:
You can use your concentrated beautyberry juice (from instructions above) as a base for all sorts of beautyberry recipes, such as beautyberry tea, sauces (really good on white fish, pork, poultry, etc), jelly, jello, wine, sorbets and ice cream.
Recipe: Beautyberry tea
Beautyberry tea is quite simple to make. Heat 1/2 cup beautyberry juice (using our concentrated beautyberry juice recipe from above) with 1/2 cup water. Add a bit of sweetener (like stevia powder or honey), and enjoy.
As mentioned earlier, beautyberry tea tastes almost identical to hibiscus tea: tangy and citrusy.
Beautyberry tea looks and tastes almost identical to hibiscus tea made from Hibiscus sabdariffa calyxes.
You can also dry whole beautyberries, then use them as a tea flavoring or in a tea mix.
Recipe: Fermented crabapple-beautyberry cider
Want to make a delicious, seasonal fermented cider with beautyberries and crabapples?
Recipe: Beautyberry jello
Given the beautiful purple color of beautyberries, they lend themselves well to recipes such as jellies and jellos. Beautyberry jelly recipes abound on the internet, so we won’t bother with a recipe here.
However, we will teach you exactly how to make a good beautyberry jello recipe!
Beautyberry jello.
Below are some process photos to help you if you’re making this recipe for the first time. Below the photos, you’ll find the recipe with ingredients and instructions:
You’ll want to use a high quality gelatin. We like PerfectGel Platinum Gelatin sheets, which is the only platinum level gelatin product available in the US. It has a 230 bloom (the highest bloom strength available).
Using 1/4 cup of the beautyberry juice to rehydrate the cut up gelatin squares.
Here’s how to make the double boiler mentioned in the recipe below. Larger pan on bottom with water in it. Smaller pan on top, floating on top of the water. This is an important cooking technique when using temperature-sensitive ingredients like gelatin.
Bringing the beautyberry jello ingredients together in the DIY double boiler.
Beautyberry honey jello
A simple, tasty jello recipe made with native beautyberries and honey.
Ingredients
- 2 strips gelatin
- 1 cup beautyberry juice (make using instructions from above)
- 1/8 cup honey (or to taste)
Instructions
-
Cut gelatin strips into 1" pieces and place in bowl. Add 1/4 cup of your total beautyberry juice to bowl, stir, and let gelatin fully hydrate (about 10 minutes).
-
Make a double boiler over low heat by putting water in larger pan on stove and smaller pan inside larger pan (see process photos). Gelatin is fairly heat-sensitive and overheating it can cause it not to set as well, hence the recommendation to use a double boiler.
-
Mix 3/4 cup beautyberry juice + honey (to taste) in sauce pan on double boiler. Stir until honey is dissolved. Add gelatin/beautyberry juice mix. Stir for a couple of minutes until all ingredients thoroughly dissolved and mixed together. Taste to make sure it's sweet enough for your liking.
-
Pour into baking dish or molds then place into fridge for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Now you know how to ID, grow, and use American beautyberries for food and mosquito repellent. We hope you enjoy this delightful native plant as much as we do!
KIGI,
Other helpful articles you might enjoy:
- From the scientists: how to use catnip as a mosquito repellent
- How to safely kill mosquitoes in your yard without poison
- Beginner’s guide to foraging: 12 rules to follow
- How to start a garden today: top-10 tips
- Gift guide for home chefs and anyone who loves to cook
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26 Comments
Cindy
September 13, 2024 at 1:12 pmhi I made beauty berry jelly from 2022 and they have changed color to a bronze color is this normal
Aaron von Frank
September 16, 2024 at 12:26 pmHi! Yes, jelly (especially lighter-colored jelly) often changes color as it ages. You can slow that process down by storing it in a dark cupboard out of light. So long as the jelly was made and sealed properly, it should still be fine to eat even if it’s not as pretty now. However, if there are any off-smells or signs of contamination, you’ll want to get rid of it.
Dennis
February 11, 2024 at 7:21 pmHow well do beautyberries dehydrate? Tips?
Aaron von Frank
February 12, 2024 at 12:55 pmBeautyberries dehydrate well. If you have a dehydrator, dry your beautyberries at a relatively low temp, about 125F. Due to their small size, they dry pretty quickly. Once all the moisture is removed, store them in airtight containers such as a glass jar, ideally with a dessicant package. Dried beautyberries are great used in tea throughout the year. If you do NOT have a dehydrator, lay them out on a cookie sheet under a ceiling fan for several days.
Canopas
December 14, 2023 at 7:48 amThanks for sharing such valuable and practical information – nature’s dual-purpose gems indeed!
Kristin
October 14, 2023 at 3:35 pmMy Beautyberry tea is not that pretty pink yours turned into, any ideas? Mine actually looks like regular tea, a brown color.
Susan von Frank
October 16, 2023 at 7:35 pmHi Kristin! Add an acid (like some lemon juice) and see if that brings out the color.
Faye
January 24, 2023 at 5:18 pma friend sent this to me regarding the insect repellent preparation of beauty berry.
” I pretty much chopped up a plant(leaves and stems) and boiled it in a pot and let it cool and strained the brown liquid into my blender, about 1 1/2 cups. In a separate pot I warmed some organic neem oil (1 cup) with 1 ounce of beeswax until melted. Then you turn the blender on and pour in the oil mixture very slowly and it becomes a cream. I have to say hands down the best insect repellent ever! Because its a creme on july/august days one application is all you need for the entire day even when your sweating.”
Aaron von Frank
January 25, 2023 at 12:03 pmThanks, Faye! There are likely quite a few ways to turn American beautyberry into an effective insect repellent. Your friend’s recipe sounds like a good one!
Two notes:
1) Neem oil is also an insect repellent in its own right. So without research studies it would be impossible to say which set of plant compounds are responsible for the mosquito deterrent effect in that particular recipe – or whether the combination of the two sets of compounds (beautyberry + neem) is more effective used together than separately.
2) For anyone using these plants as a topical insect repellent, it’s always a good idea to test it on a small patch of skin before covering yourself in it. Some people will no doubt have allergic reactions.
Thanks for sharing and hope your beautyberry insect repellent works wonders for you during mosquito season!
Chad
October 13, 2022 at 2:28 pmI am curious if there are poisonous look alikes to American Beautyberrys?
Aaron von Frank
October 13, 2022 at 4:27 pmNone that we know of based on berry color and morphology, seasonal ripeness, and plant features.
Amanda
October 12, 2022 at 7:41 amThis post really helped me when I found an ample supply of Beautyberry!! Thank you for all the recommendations and thorough instructions!
Aaron von Frank
October 12, 2022 at 1:04 pmWonderful! Glad to hear our beautyberry information was helpful for you. Thanks, Amanda!
Courtney
September 20, 2022 at 1:56 pmWhat’s the best way to store freshly picked beautyberries? My kiddos just picked several cups worth and I’m planning to make jam in the next couple of days.
Aaron von Frank
September 21, 2022 at 7:45 amTo store, put your beautyberries in a ziplock or silicone bag in the produce drawer of your fridge. They’ll easily last a week or more.
Deborah
November 17, 2021 at 4:35 pmDo you think Beauty berry would have the same mosquito repellent properties as American beauty berry?
Aaron von Frank
November 17, 2021 at 9:45 pmNot certain if the leaves from all species of beautyberries have the same repellent effect on mosquitoes as American beautyberries (Callicarpa americana). The research we cited in the article (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060703091932.htm) only tested the effects of American beautyberries, not others. Our guess — which is based purely on smelling leaves from both Asian and American beautyberries — is that other Callicarpa species also contain the same chemical compounds responsible for the mosquito-repellent effect (callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol). Testing would need to be done to prove that though.
Dianne MacKay
November 11, 2021 at 11:12 amThx for article.
I like to make shrub drinks -saw no recipes for beauty berry. Concerned as some fruit must be cooked – but figured if beauty berry wine is tolerated – probably safe. Despite some bloggers mentioning eating raw ( no taste to me) caution from botanists about allergies made me hesitant.
Made the shrub , cautiously taste tested and increased my consumption daily. no problem
However , I noted the shrub was more syrupy and less vinegar taste.sweetest shrub ever – loved it as have sweet tooth.it was sour sweet. Also thought taste did not hold up seemed taste changed – Maybe paranoid
But I noticed when filtering my shrub it seemed very gelatinous. ( despite having difficulty to make jam when I tried).
In a nutshell, I noted this shrub was sweeter than all other shrubs I make and wondered if any experience with this. Do not want to be culturing microbes . Wonder if anyone e experienced use as shrub
Bill Bennett
September 25, 2021 at 2:56 pmHello Aaron,
what are possible uses for the cooked seeds? Are they soft enough to make porridge for human consumption?
Could you feed to the ducks or chickens? I suppose one could dry or ferment them for bird treats. I find that I can take pumpkin, watermelon, amaranth seeds, and make bird treats. I usually cook to kill the seeds, pulse in a food processor, ferment a little and then make suet cakes for the wild birds.
Aaron von Frank
September 26, 2021 at 12:42 pmHi Bill! Nice to hear from you again and hope you’re well. Thus far, we’ve just composted our strained beautyberry seeds, but you could certainly mix them in to a suet cake for birds. That’s a great idea. I don’t think they’d make a great porridge for human consumption but if you find a way to use them for human food, please check back in to let us know!
Oak Street Homestead
May 24, 2021 at 7:11 pmIn a pinch I once crushed beautyberry leaves rubbed them on my clothing to repel mosquitoes totally works. Now I plant them in my yard.
Aaron von Frank
May 25, 2021 at 10:39 amNice! Pretty neat to have a plant that produces both mosquito-repellent leaves and fruit that can be made into tasty cooked recipes.
CJB57
September 1, 2020 at 9:08 pmI have discovered beauty berries growing in abundance on our property and read in your article about using as an insect repellent. I have horses and would love to it out on them and myself of course. You said they could be used to make a salve or lotion but you didn’t say how. Could give me those instructions? Thanks so much it was wonderful reading about this beauty! CJ Burk [email protected]
Aaron von Frank
September 2, 2020 at 11:52 amHi CJ! We’ve never used the beautyberry plant as an insect repellent, so we didn’t want to provide instructions given our lack of knowledge/experience on the topic. We were simply sharing the research findings. However, note that you should use the leaves of the plant, not the berries, if you’re going for an insect repellent. You’d probably want to blend the leaves with some water, strain them out, then add melted coconut oil (or something similar) to the extract to create something of a lotion. Since botanicals tend to volatilize rapidly (and decompose) it might be wise to refrigerate the final concoction as well. This is something we’ll experiment with next year and publish the results. If you come up with a good solution in the meantime, please let us know!
Virginia
November 8, 2019 at 8:49 amDo your ducks every get to enjoy beautyberries? We are thinking of planting a bush in their run and are considering something they can also forage, such as beautyberries.
Aaron von Frank
November 8, 2019 at 1:36 pmWe’ve never offered our flock beautyberries, but that’s a great idea. Our flock is oddly finicky about new foods and — unlike most ducks — don’t seem to care for any berries we’ve offered them such as blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Next time we go to our beautyberry spot, we’ll bring some back for a duck trial. You may want to see if your flock likes them as well.
Either way, beautyberries are a great plant to have in your yard. Even if your ducks don’t like them, you’ll have berries for yourself and leaves you can use as a mosquito repellent.