The Strawberry Festival is over, and it won’t be too long before summer cools into autumn. In the meantime, I’d like to turn your attention to another Southeastern U.S. fruit you won’t see on just any supermarket’s shelf. Meet the American beautyberry, a berry with a vibrant magenta color that lives up to its darling name.
Finding and Growing the Beautyberry
Whether you realized it or not at the time, if you’ve traveled or lived anywhere from Florida to Virginia to Texas, you’ve probably come across beautyberries! More and more, you’ll see this shrub pop up in landscaping because they’re low-maintenance, they attract birds like a magnet, and their berries offer food for local wildlife during the winter.
(But just because you see critters enjoying the beautyberry straight from the bush doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll want to partake. They’re quite acidic. To make beautyberries more tasty, you’ll have to read on for my recipe recommendations!)
If you’re interested in growing beautyberry shrubs in your garden, check out their entry in the USDA Plants Database. Otherwise, you might enjoy learning how to identify the plant while out and about.
The Many Uses of the Beautyberry
As is true with many plants, Native American communities have been using the beautyberry plant for more than just beautifying their property for hundreds of years. One folk remedy that’s been studied extensively: crushing the leaves of the shrub and rubbing them on the skin has been shown to be effective at warding off mosquitos. If you’ve spent any time in the Sunshine State, you’ll probably be tempted to try that yourself! No need to make a mess—here’s how to make your own beautyberry leaf insect repellent.
Beautyberries were also used to treat fever, rheumatism, and malaria, with its leaves often brewed into teas for their medicinal benefits.
Beautyberry Recipes to Enjoy
If you’re going to make the classic beautyberry recipe, you’re going to want to make some jelly. Spread it on your toast or pancakes in the morning, pair it with cheese and crackers on your next charcuterie board, or try it over ice cream! Authentic Florida has a very promising jelly recipe here.
Of course, the beautyberry is a fruit, so any investigation will yield many, many discussions on winemaking forums asking about recipes. You can make wine from any berry, but beautyberry wine is going to be tart with floral and fruity undertones, and you’ll want to pair it with something creamy and sweet to balance out its flavor profile.
While exploring other culinary uses, I stumbled across a recipe for beautyberry flour, if you can believe it. That makes the baking possibilities endless!
Have you ever tried beautyberries before? Have you seen them growing out in the wild? Let me know in the comments!
Love & Sunshine,
Frances