American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) seeds (25)

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Sep 28th, 2013 at 1:26:58 PM PDT by

Wow! Nice info Marie!

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Sep 28th, 2013 at 7:07:37 PM PDT by

Found this info. online as well:

Alternate Names

American beautyberry is also known as French mulberry,
sourbush, bunchberry, or purple beauty - berry. In Greek,
the genus name Callicarpa means callos, “beauty” and
carpos “fruit”.
Uses
Ethnobotanic: The roots, leaves, and branches were used
by various Native American tribes for medicinal purposes
to treat malarial fevers and rheumatism. The roots were
used to treat dizziness, stomachaches and dysentery.
Roots and berries were boiled and drunk to treat colic.
In the early 20th century, farmers would crush the leaves
and place them under the harnesses of horses and mules to
repel mosquitoes. The farmers rubbed the crushed leaves
on themselves to repel mosquitoes and biting bugs.
Studies conducted by the Agricultural Research Service
has shown two compounds –
callicarpenal and
intermedeol
-
are responsible for the repellant.

Sep 24th, 2013 at 7:55:31 PM PDT by

How to plant the seeds:
"The harvested berries, which contain 2 to 4 seeds
each, can be treated in several ways; one is planting the
berries in the fall for spring germination. American
beautyberry seeds can survive several years in the soil
bank. Another way is cleaning the seeds using a kitchen
blender for small seedlots. Mix the berries with at least
five times their volume of water and pour into the
blender. Run the blender at its lowest speed using short
bursts of a few seconds at a time to separate the skin and
tissue from the seeds. Eventually, mature seeds sink to the
bottom, while immature seeds, skins and tissue remain
near the top. Check the seeds for possible damage. Pour
off the unwanted material and repeat the process two or
three times. Eventually, a clean seed sample will be left at
the bottom of the blender. Drain the seeds and spread
them out to dry. After drying, the seeds are ready for
planting or storage in a cool, dry place

Sep 24th, 2013 at 7:58:41 PM PDT by

FREE: American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) seeds (25)