Herb: Beautyberry


Latin name: Callicarpa japonica


Family: Verbenaceae (Verbena Family)



Edible parts of Beautyberry:

The leaves are a tea substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)

Flowering:
August

Habitat of the herb:

A pioneer species of cut-over lands. Mixed forests on mountain slopes or in valleys at elevations of 200 - 900 metres.

Propagation of Beautyberry:

Seed - sow February in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 18°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood 10cm long, July/August in a frame. High percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth with a heel taken in early spring.

Cultivation of the herb:

A pioneer species of cut-over lands. Mixed forests on mountain slopes or in valleys at elevations of 200 - 900 metres.

Medicinal use of Beautyberry:

None known

Known hazards of Callicarpa japonica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.