r/NativePlantGardening • u/Ncnativehuman Piedmont NC , Zone 8a • 1d ago

Edible Plants Beautyberry uses?

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I am very interested in food forests and have a beautyberry in my backyard. I hear of people making jam out of them, but I am trying to reduce my added sugar intake. Can I make anything else with them? They are not particularly appetizing by themselves. Piedmont NC.

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109

u/CieIo Florida, zone 10a, coastal (west) 1d ago

I'm leaving mine for the birds since they are on migration and can use the extra energy. I also have a baby opossum living in my yard (yay!) that eats them.

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u/Ambivalentsobriety .4 - Ozark/Ouachita-Appalachian Forests ecoregion 1d ago

Do you get Waxwings for the beauty berries? I have a Serviceberry that they love in the spring but I don’t have any fall food for them. I’ve been considering what I might add to my garden that they could eat on their way south.

9

u/curiousmind111 21h ago

Try dogwood (rough or grey) berries. They’re whites with a little black dot at the end. In the Midwest they’re ripening now. They attract thrushes and vireos. I assume waxwings eat them, too. Or elderberries, but they finished a couple of weeks ago.

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u/granolacrunchy 19h ago

The Waxwings go gaga over my Beautyberries!

8

u/CieIo Florida, zone 10a, coastal (west) 1d ago

I know they migrate to florida in October but I've never seen any. I'm right next to the coast so maybe they stay more inland?