Purple Beautyberry

Purple Beautyberry is the cultivar Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’, an upright deciduous shrub valued for its seasonal leaves and clusters of violet-purple fruit. Small lilac to pale pink flowers appear in summer, while the berries and changing foliage add color in autumn. ## Cultivar and size The live cultivar field identifies ‘Profusion’. The [Royal Horticultural Society profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/206201/callicarpa-bodinieri-profusion/details) describes young leaves as purplish, summer leaves as green, and autumn foliage as rosy-pink, followed by compact clusters of violet-purple berries. It gives a broad mature range of 2.5–4 m high and 1.5–2.5 m wide; these ranges are recorded in the labels because no single representative numeric size is justified. Oregon State University also identifies ‘Profusion’ as the common cultivar and describes pale pink flowers and dark violet fruit. ## Siting Plant in full sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. The cultivar is a substantial shrub, so allow room for its mature spread. It works as an informal specimen or in a mixed shrub border; fruiting may be more conspicuous where several beautyberries grow nearby. ## Maintenance Water regularly during the first year while roots establish. In early spring, remove damaged stems and prune to healthy growth if a neater shape or smaller framework is wanted. Preserve some stems through autumn to enjoy the fruit display.