Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Lamiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Callicarpa dichotoma
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about Chinese Beautyberry at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
This species is beginning to spread more rapidly in the Southeast, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Callicarpa dichotoma
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 162-04-002:
Callicarpa dichotoma FAMILY Verbenaceae
COMMON NAME:
Chinese Beautyberry, Purple Beautyberry
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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Scott Hartley bas_c_dichotoma1_hartley
June Moore County NC
Similar in appearance to the native, but leaves are nearly glabrous below, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
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JK Marlow jkm250712_1598
July Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
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JK Marlow jkm250712_1599
July Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
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JK Marlow jkm250712_1602
July Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
Inflorescence supra-axillary, diverging from twig 1-4mm above the leaf axil, per Weakley's Flora (2025).
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JK Marlow jkm250712_1603
July Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
Leaves 2-6 (10) cm long and glabrous or nearly so beneath (except on the midrib), per Weakley's Flora (2025).
)
JK Marlow jkm130913_329
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Leaves opposite or sub-opposite, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm130913_329b
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Scurfy, stellate-pubescent twigs, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm240911_0981
September Greenville County SC
Peduncle 1-2cm long, longer than the petiole of the subtending leaf, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Callicarpa dichotoma
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Callicarpa dichotoma
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 162-04-002:
Callicarpa dichotoma
FAMILY
Verbenaceae
3830
Shrub
Perennial
Habitat: Roadsides, powerline rights-of-way, woodland edges, suburban woodlands, bogs, bottomlands, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Asia
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Opposite or subopposite
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Lavender/ Pinkish
5-toothed calyx
5-lobed corolla
4 exserted stamens, attached to corolla tube
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Violet/ Purple
Drupe
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".