To be or not to be is the perennial question.

Shakespeare was not talking about purple beautyberry, but his inquiry is apt regarding whether this plant should be on the Island and, more specifically, should it be in holiday decorations.

During a recent wreath-making session, the stunning clusters of purple fruits were a clear favorite for adorning holiday ware. So I dug in on a search to see if there is a place for this blockbuster berry during the holiday or any season on the Island.

First consider variety. Beautyberry is a member of the Callicarpa genus, and while there are many species therein, only four are recommended for use in the U.S.  Of those, there are two (and many cultivars) that are most often observed in our region.

One, commonly called American beautyberry, is native to southern states, but seems to grow in our more northern USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a or 7b depending on which part of the Island one is on. Callicarpa americana is the best choice for planting since it is native to this country (if not region), though it doesn’t always survive harsh winters. The other variety is native to Asia and is most often referred to as purple beautyberry or Callicarpa dichotoma.

I often worry about non-native or out-of-range plants and animals, but the real concern are ones that are non-native and invasive. While some resources consider this variety liable to spread, many others (locally and not) sing its praises.

On-Island, advocates include my column neighbor, Lynn Irons, who noted in a 2007 article that beautyberry is a “refined graceful shrub” that is “just remarkable.”

Another great gardener, Abigail Higgins, advocates for it, and Polly Hill Arboretum lists both species as Island appropriate.

Who can argue with these garden gurus? 

Then there are the birds (also trustworthy sources). More than 40 species of birds will happily eat the fruit. These creatures are not the only ones that partake in this winter pantry food stock. Raccoons, opossums, squirrels, deer and other mammals appreciate beautyberry as a high protein snack. A few caterpillars, including spring azures and snowberry clearwing moths, also consume its foliage as a host plant.

There are a few that don’t value beautyberry, including many insects, such as mosquitoes, deerflies, fire ants and ticks among them. Four compounds found in this plant put off pests, so much so that the USDA patented one of them as a mosquito repellent.

Other values of beautyberry were identified by Indigenous people, who purportedly used beautyberry medicinally to treat fevers, rheumatism, dizziness, stomachache and dysentery. More recent uses for the fruits, though they are quite astringent, include making wine and jellies, which have been compared to grape and elderberry concoctions. There are even some agricultural uses, as cattle and livestock can browse beautyberry’s twigs and leaves.

There seems to be so many reasons to appreciate this purple powerhouse and perhaps my concerns were initially overstated. So, while beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, I’m finding my vision has cleared and that it is OK to be on team beautyberry — and picking sides has put me in the very best company. 

Suzan Bellincampi is director of the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown, and author of Martha’s Vineyard: A Field Guide to Island Nature and The Nature of Martha’s Vineyard.