Everything about Beautyberry totally explained
Beautyberry (
Callicarpa) is a
genus of
shrubs and small
trees in the family
Verbenaceae; between 40-150 species are accepted by different botanists. They are native to east and southeast
Asia (where the majority of the species occur),
Australia, southeast
North America and
Central America.
The temperate species are
deciduous, the tropical species
evergreen. The
leaves are simple, opposite, and 5-25 cm long. The
flowers are in clusters, white to pinkish. The
fruit is a
berry, 2-5 mm diameter and pink to red-purple with a highly distinctive metallic lustre, are very conspicuous in clusters on the bare branches after the leaves fall. The berries last well into the winter or dry season and are an important survival food for
birds and other animals, though they won't eat them until other sources are depleted. The berries are highly astringent, and considered unfit for human use.
Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera species including
Endoclita malabaricus and
Endoclita undulifer.
American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana is native to the southeastern
United States. It can typically reach 1-2 m in height. A jelly can be made from its ripe berries.
Bodinier's Beautyberry Callicarpa bodinieri, native to west-central
China (
Sichuan,
Hubei,
Shaanxi) is more cold-tolerant than
C. americana, and is the species most widely cultivated in north western
Europe. It can reach 3 m tall.
Japanese Beautyberry Callicarpa japonica, native to
Japan, is also cultivated in gardens. It is called
Murasakishikibu in Japanese, in honor of
Murasaki Shikibu.
Uses
American beautyberry or
Callicarpa americana has been found to be a natural
insect repellent. Four chemicals have been isolated that appear to be the active ingredients;
borneol,
callicarpenal,
intermedeol, and
spathulenol. It has found to be repellant to the
mosquitoes which carry
yellow fever and
malaria, as well as the
tick which carries
Lyme disease. The discovery and use of callicarpenal has been patented by the
United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture Research Service.
It has also been used to produce wine.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Beautyberry'.
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