I was recently at the watchung reservation in New Jersey. Growing on the outside next to a chain link fence was this shrub/plant. The height was about 2-3 feet with 2-3 foot width. Green leaves long branches with clusters of berries at intervals. The berries towards the center of the plant were a nice blue color...the farther out the whiter the berries got. This was just last week so im assuming all the berries will turn blue with fall coming. I do not believe this to be native to NJ but could be wrong. Any help would be welcome because I liked this plant for its habit and berry colors and would like plant some on my property. Thanks, MC
Welcome dethshil. Looks like a Callicarpa sp. Possibly Callicarpa americana.Common name American beautyberry. http://images.google.com/images?q=c...1I7SUNA_en-GB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/callicar.cfm
Much appreciated. Still trying to decide which one it was exactly but looks like one of the beautyberrys. Thanks, MC
I have tons of Callicarpa americana growing in my area. The growth habit of this plant near Watchung does not look like the C. americana growing here. Close, but no cigar. I'd say from seeing the very regular opposite leaves that this is C. dichotoma. If it's anything like C. americana, it will grow very easily from a few of those hard magenta berries. Don't bother removing the paper thin fruit pulp: just plant with a scant covering of soil.
