Tag: Callicarpa

While many wild berries are poisonous, ripe Callicarpa berries—often called beautyberries—are not toxic to humans when consumed in small amounts. Their striking purple appearance often leads people to wonder about their safety and potential culinary uses, a topic surrounded by both folklore and fact.

While Native Americans traditionally utilized the beautyberry bush for various medicinal purposes, many foragers and gardeners wonder, "Can you eat beauty berries raw?". The answer is yes, though ripe American beautyberries are non-toxic, their flavor when raw is often described as bland, astringent, and mealy.