09/18/2026
Check out this picture of one of the American Beautyberry, (Callicarpa americana), plants in the Joann Cowan Brown Botanical Garden. Even at nighttime, it’s stunning, don’t you agree?
Beautyberry is native to this area (the Cowan Museum is located in the southeastern part of North Carolina) and has been used by Native American tribes, early settlers, and others for such things as medicine, repellant for biting insects (like ticks & mosquitos!), and the berries may be eaten, preferably made into jams, syrup, and pie fillings. (We wouldn’t recommend eating many of them off the bush, though.)
Many kinds of wildlife benefit from the plant, too, including songbirds, squirrels, opossums, racoons, deer, Black bears, and foxes. Its common name, Beautyberry, certainly fits this time of year.
The other pictures include a drawing by former Museum Assistant Meagan Jasinski (she loves nature), Beautyberry flowers, and berries (staff pictures).
Other types of berry-producing plants in our garden include Inkberry, Chokeberry, Winterberry, Blueberry, Elderberry, and Serviceberry.
