Japanese beautyberry is a moderate-sized, rounded, deciduous shrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Japanese beautyberry is a native of China and East Asia. It was introduced to western cultivation in 1845. It was cultivated in Denmark in 1916, and it has also been introduced in the State of North Carolina. The genus, Callicarpa , is Greek and means beautiful fruit. The species name, j aponica , means of Japan. With slender, arching branches that form a spreading vase shape, it grows 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, which is smaller than the American barberry. The leaves are a medium green and turn greenish-yellow with a purplish cast in the fall before leaf drop. Clusters of pinkish-white flowers bloom in June on new wood, Beautiful glossy violet-purple berries emerge late summer. They are more prominent in October when not obscured by the foliage. Birds are attracted to the fruits as a food source. This easy to grow shrub prefers full sun to partial shade and will become leggy with reduced flower and fruit production if planted in the shade. Well-drained soil is recommended, and the shrub is somewhat drought tolerant. In areas with cold winters it may die back to the ground but will reemerge in the spring. Cross-pollination and improved fruit production may occur if they are planted in groups or mass plantings. It is recommended to prune old stems in late winter or early spring. The plant propagates by stem cutting or seed where it naturalizes in the landscape easily. Utilize Japanese beautyberry in the landscape where its colorful ornamental berries can be enjoyed planted along a walkway or a foundation. The arching branches work well cascading over the sides of containers. . When planted 4 to 5 feet apart, they form a nice shrub border or screening hedge. Cultivars are available, and some produce white berries and others have narrower leaves. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect problems. They may be susceptible to leaf spots, stem diseases, and black mold. It selfseeds easily and may become weedy in the landsdcape. It is listed as an invasive species in AL .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High; Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Open; Rounded; Spreading; Vase
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Medium-green in color, elliptic to ovate in shape, simple, and appear opposite in arrangement. The leaf is smooth with a pointed tip, the margins are serrated. and the veins are pinnate. Below the leaves are yellowish glands. Leaves measure 2 to 5 inches long and are 1.5 to 2 inches wide. In the fall, the leaves' color changes to yellow-green with a purplish tint before leaf drop.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower form
Cyme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flowers are 1 to 1.5-inch clusters of pinkish-white blossoms that appear on the new wood of the shrub. They are usually obscured by the foliage and typically bloom in June through July.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Showy glossy bright violet-colored berries that appear in late summer and persist in the fall. Each berry measures 1/16 inch in diameter. The fruits are very prominent after the leaves drop. This showy fruit is a good source of food for birds.
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is smooth with circular lenticels and is grayish-brown in color.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Slender and green. Young shoots have star-shaped hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China and East Asia
Distribution
China Northcentral, China Southcentral, Chinasoutheast, Japan, Korea Nansei-Shoto, Taiwan, and introduced in the United States in North Carolina and Denmark
Wildlife value
Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are attracted to the flowers. The berries are a food source for birds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Songbirds
Play value
Attracts Pollinators; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Uses (ethnobotany)
In Japan, the plant stems are used for chopsticks.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Naturalized Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy; Small groups
Garden tags
#deciduous #shrub #pollinator plant #border planting #mass planting #low maintenance #food source fall #butterfly friendly #bee friendly #fall interest #fruits early fall #fall color purple #fruits late summer #purple fruits #container plant #glossy fruits #flowers early summer #fall color yellow #flowers late summer #easy to grow #showy fruits #naturalizes #foundation planting #drought tolerant #self-seeding #hedge #wildlife friendly #cpp #HS111 #weedy #shrub border #screen #walkway