Tammy Borko Photography
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana)
Interesting facts: Widely known as French mulberry, even though it is neither French nor a mulberry, produces luminescent purple clusters of fruit. Flowers, while not especially showy, are perfect with male and female parts. Cross-pollination often provides for better fruit set come autumn. Shrub growing 6 to 8 feet tall and wide with a natural range from Virginia to East Texas. This is the only species of the 130 that have been described native to the continental United States. It is a member of the verbena family.
In the fall, beginning about the first of October and lasting until Thanksgiving, the bb-sized berries turn shades of purple and lavender.
Is a safe HERBAL BUG REPELLENT. One of the old ways of keeping biting insects off horses and mules as they plowed, was to place the branches and leaves of Beauty Berry under their collars. Agriculture Research Service managed to identify several chemicals in Beauty Berry which seem to hold the key to its activity – callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol. Preliminary testing also indicates that these chemicals are as effective as DEET in repelling insects without the potential adverse side effects to the liver and nervous system in humans.
Beauty Berry is very easy to use. If you are out in the woods, simply grab a branch, crush the leaves and rub over all exposed skin.
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana)
Interesting facts: Widely known as French mulberry, even though it is neither French nor a mulberry, produces luminescent purple clusters of fruit. Flowers, while not especially showy, are perfect with male and female parts. Cross-pollination often provides for better fruit set come autumn. Shrub growing 6 to 8 feet tall and wide with a natural range from Virginia to East Texas. This is the only species of the 130 that have been described native to the continental United States. It is a member of the verbena family.
In the fall, beginning about the first of October and lasting until Thanksgiving, the bb-sized berries turn shades of purple and lavender.
Is a safe HERBAL BUG REPELLENT. One of the old ways of keeping biting insects off horses and mules as they plowed, was to place the branches and leaves of Beauty Berry under their collars. Agriculture Research Service managed to identify several chemicals in Beauty Berry which seem to hold the key to its activity – callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol. Preliminary testing also indicates that these chemicals are as effective as DEET in repelling insects without the potential adverse side effects to the liver and nervous system in humans.
Beauty Berry is very easy to use. If you are out in the woods, simply grab a branch, crush the leaves and rub over all exposed skin.