Beautyberry, candy tree - Early Amethyst

The Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’ is an ornamental shrub particularly appreciated for its spectacular purple fruits in autumn.

🌿 General presentation

• Botanical name: Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’
• Common name: Beautyberry, candy tree
• Family: Lamiaceae
• Origin: East Asia (notably China, Japan, Korea)

🍇 What makes it special

• Produces small, very vibrant amethyst-purple berries, clustered along the branches
• Fruits appear earlier than on other beautyberries (hence “Early”)
• Very decorative in autumn, even after leaves have fallen
• Attracts birds 🐦

🌱 Characteristics

• Height: 1 to 1.5 m
• Width: approximately 1.5 m
• Habit: bushy, slightly spreading
• Foliage: green in summer, yellowing in autumn
• Flowering: small pale pink flowers in summer (discreet)

☀️ Growing conditions

• Exposure: sun or partial shade (better fruiting in full sun)
• Soil: well-drained, fertile, slightly moist
• Hardiness: very good (down to about -25°C, so suitable for Quebec 👍)

✂️ Maintenance

• Pruning: early spring (it flowers on new wood)
• Watering: moderate, especially the first year
• Fertilizer: light application in spring if soil is poor

💡 Tip: plant in groups for a more spectacular visual effect with the berries.

🌸 Garden uses

• Shrub borders
• Borders
• Naturalistic garden
• Can also be used as a focal point in autumn

⚠️ To know

• Berries are very decorative but not intended for human consumption
• May seem a bit "ordinary" in summer — it truly shines in autumn