The many gifts of the American Beautyberry
This beautiful plant has uses as a food, medicine, ornament, and even an insect repellant! Read on to learn more about this plant, including how to make beautyberry jelly.
If you live in the southeast USA (especially around Georgia and Florida), you may have spotted this beauty on forest trails or even in landscaping designs! The further south you are, the earlier the berries will ripen this fall. While they're already good to go in Florida, it might take a few more weeks before the fruit reaches its prime in northern Georgia or Tennessee.
Despite being a part of the mint family, the American beautyberry doesn't give off a 'minty' scent; rather, it has a subtle musty aroma. The leaves are sizable, soft, and possess a slight fuzziness to the touch. When the fruit reaches maturity, they exhibit a stunning purple-fuchsia hue.
Uses in Traditional Medicine
The American beautyberry (scientific name: Callicarpa americana, Lamiaceae) has a rich history in the medical traditions of native peoples in the SE USA. According to the Native American Ethnobotany Database, this plant was used by the Alabama, Choctaw, and Seminole Nations for a variety of needs. For example:
Decoction of roots and branches used in sweatbath for rheumatism and malarial fevers.
Decoction of roots taken for dysentery and stomachache.
Decoction of roots and berries taken for colic.
Roots or stem bark used for snake sickness: itchy skin.
Decoction of root bark taken for urine retention.
Making a decoction is the process of concentrating the essence of a substance by boiling, especially in making a medicinal preparation from a plant.
Scientific Studies
Several exciting studies have been published about the biological activities of active molecules in the beautyberry plant. For example, one study reported the discovery of a chemical compound in the leaves that deters mosquitoes from biting. For this reason, rubbing the leaves on your skin while hiking in the woods can help repel mosquitoes.
The Quave Research Group has also identified some interesting pharmacological properties of molecules found in beautyberry leaves. For example, in one study, we determined leaf extracts exhibit potent inhibition of Cutibacterium acnes, the bacteria responsible for acne. In another study, we identified a specific chemical compound that exhibits antibiotic properties against Staphylococcus aureus (staph bacteria) and improves the activity of beta-lactam antibiotics in killing drug-resistant staph strains.
There is much still to learn about the medicinal potential of the molecules found in beautyberry leaves!
Beautyberry Jelly Recipe
In addition to its medicinal properties, the American beautyberry is an excellent wild food! The berries are eaten raw by birds and wildlife but should be cooked for human consumption.
Before going out foraging, ensure you're absolutely sure about identifying those beautyberries. If there is any uncertainty, you can always contact your state’s agricultural extension office to ask questions. They are there to help!
Find your state extension office:
Once you are confident in the identification of the beautyberry plants and you have permission to collect them (don’t forage on lands not your own without checking into permissions first), you can start the hunt for these bright purple beauties. For this recipe, you’ll need around four cups of beautyberries to make 48 ounces of jelly. Of course, if you don’t find enough berries, you can also cut this recipe in half.
Materials
4 cups of beautyberries, removed from the plant stems and washed.
You can collect, rinse, dry and store the berries in a closed container or Ziploc bag prior to making the jelly. This may be helpful if collecting batches of berries over a few days of foraging.
2 (1.75 ounce) packages of fruit pectin (e.g., Sure-Jell)
4 cups of white sugar
cheese cloth
8 cups water
Lemon juice (1 lemon, 2-3 Tbsp. juice)
Cooking pot or large sauce pan
Large bowl
Ladle spoon
Sterilized jelly jars (twelve 4-ounce or six 8-ounce Mason jars)
Instructions
Place four cups of beautyberries into a large sauce pan. Mash them up with a large spoon or potato masher, and then cover with eight cups of water. Bring the berry and water mash to a boil and stir occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to check and stir to avoid burning or sticking. The goal is to cook and soften the berries. Both the berries and the liquid will turn brown in color. (Don’t worry - it will turn back into a vibrant pink color at the end of the process!)
Place three layers of cheese cloth over a large mixing bowl. Pour the contents of your pot of berries and water into the bowl over the cheese cloth. Push the liquid through the cheese cloth with a spoon. Let the liquid cool, then use your hands to bundle up the cheese cloth and squeeze through the remaining liquid into the bowl. Discard the cheese cloth and berry remnants. Rinse out your cooking pot to remove any remnant berries.
Measure the liquid. You should have at four cups of liquid. If not, add water to reach a volume of four cups. Pour the berry liquid back into the cooking pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and add in two packages of the fruit pectin, juice of one lemon (2-3 Tbsp.), and four cups of sugar. Stir the mixture to avoid burning. Remove any foam that forms as you are able. You will need to boil and stir the mixture for ten minutes.
Use a ladling spoon to distribute the hot jelly into pre-sterilized jelly jars, leaving a 1/4” gap at the top. Wipe off any jelly from the top rim of the jar and add the lid.
For longer shelf-friendly storage, use the water-bath canning method to seal and can your jelly jars.
For short-term storage, you can simply let the jelly cool and store in the refrigerator to be eaten in the next two weeks.
The final process yields a beautiful bright pinkish/purple jelly with a mild flavor somewhat similar to grape jelly.
The Takeaway
Whether being used as an ornamental plant or a source of food or medicine, there is so much that the beautyberry has to offer. Now is the perfect time to see it in its most beautiful fruiting stage! If you would like to forage for it, please do so safely and contact your state extension office for more free resources and important information about this and other plants in your state.
Yours in health, Dr. Quave
Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.
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