Purple Beautyberry Callicarpa dichotoma
Previously known as:
- Callicarpa gracilis
- Callicarpa jamamurasaki
- Callicarpa japonica var. dichotoma
- Callicarpa purpurea
- Porphyra dichotoma
- Phonetic Spelling
- kal-ee-KAR-puh dy-KOH-toh-mah
- Description
-
Purple beautyberry, in the Lamiaceae (mint) family, is a small rounded, compact, deciduous, woody shrub with showy, ornamental fruits that may last long after the shrub has dropped its leaves for winter. It is a native of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The genus, Callicarpa, is Greek and means beautiful fruit. The species, dichotoma, means forked in pairs. The shrub has been introduced in the United States and Taiwan, but it is not widely available.
Purple beautyberry is easy to grow and low maintenance. It is typically 2 to 4 feet tall with a weeping effect that is common to other beautyberries preferring full sun to ensure plentiful fruit and flower production. The stems may become leggy if the shrub is planted in too much shade. Plant it in well draining soil and once it is established it will be quite drought tolerant. Clusters of pink to lavender flowers emerge in late spring and summer and clusters of lilac-violet berries ripen in September through October. Pruning may be performed in late winter or early spring, but keep in mind that flowers appear on new wood. Propagate this shrub through stem cuttings.
Cultivars are available within this species. Depending on the selection, the berries may be white or purple in color, or the leaves may be variegated. Its leaves are smaller and closer together on the stems than the American beautyberry or Japanese beautyberry.
When the shrub is planted in groups or masses, it improves cross-pollination and fruit production. The shrub attracts bees and butterflies for pollination. Birds and small mammals are attracted to the fruit, yet deer rarely bother this shrub. Since it is smaller, the purple beautyberry is a good specimen for a container or patio garden as well as a children’s garden or a cottage garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to leaf spot, stem diseases, and black mold.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Albifructus'
White berries - 'Duet'
Variegated foliage and white berries - 'Early Amethyst'
Small purple berries - 'Issai'
Abundant violet-blue berries, hardy shrub - 'Luxurians'
- 'Spring Gold'
- 'Albifructus'
- 'Albifructus', 'Duet', 'Early Amethyst', 'Issai', 'Luxurians', 'Spring Gold'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Albifructus'
White berries - 'Duet'
Variegated foliage and white berries - 'Early Amethyst'
Small purple berries - 'Issai'
Abundant violet-blue berries, hardy shrub - 'Luxurians'
- 'Spring Gold'
- 'Albifructus'
- 'Albifructus', 'Duet', 'Early Amethyst', 'Issai', 'Luxurians', 'Spring Gold'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Callicarpa
- Species:
- dichotoma
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China, Japan, Korea, Nansei-Shoto, and Vietnam.
- Distribution:
- China Northcentral, China Southcentral, China Southeast, Japan, Korea, Nansei-Shoto, and Vietnam; Introduced in Taiwan and the United States in AL, DE, KY, NC, SC, TN, and VA
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds and small mammals are attracted to their fruits. Bees and butterflies are attracted to the flowers for pollination. Deer seldom damaged this shrub.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Drought and deer
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Rounded
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- After flowering, clusters of lilac-violet berries appear and ripen in September. Each berry measures about 1/8 inch in diameter. They are present through October and more prominent after leaf drop. They may last until early winter and are a good food source for birds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are clusters of pinkish-lavender blooms that appear along the leaf axils on new wood. They bloom from June to August.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Papery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are green, simple, elliptic to ovate in shape, and appear opposite in arrangement. The leaves measure 1 to 3 inches long and about half as wide. The margins are serrate. Stellate hairs are noted on young leaves. The mature leaf has yellow glandular hairs on the margins of the leaf. In the fall the leaves turn yellow before they drop from the shrub.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- The bark is gray-brown.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- The stem is reddish in color, long, arching, and slender.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Patio
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Mass Planting
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
