please help identify species and english name

i got this tree from a road side seller while on my way to the country side, as bonsai material.when i bought it, its just a base of a tree, with out any branch or leaf, cut very low from the rest of the tree. i thought it wont survive, but the nebari looks promising so i took it anyway...for less than $5. the problem is the seller cant identify the name. last summer it started to have some flowers, then some purple berries.
i took it to some local bonsai club here to be identified...but no result. apparently, it is the first time they saw this type of bonsai.
it would be of great help if any of you guys can identify it.. so that i can give this baby a name...hes getting older now with out a name..poor tree. thanks.



some berries any one? might be poisonous.





some more berries. san miguel beer for scale.

This shrub is known as the Beautyberry (Callicarpa Dichotoma) and may I say you have a very fine specimen.

thanks will.
you are its godfather now. i owe you some beer.

i thought beauty berry grows only in cold climate... it probably came from a colder part of the philippines. now im worried. its hot and humid here in manila, do you think it will continue to survive in my garden?

From what I can find out the Beautyberry is Subtropical but will withstand colder climates. The Berries are edible and make good Jam (jelly). The leaves, if rubbed on skin are supposed to be a good insect repellant. Was this tree imported or collected locally?

I had no idea that beautyberry could look like this. Wonderful tree.

Jun, since you have been growing this for a while and it looks VERY HEALTHY; I would say that it does well in your climate... not to worry By the way, your tree is gorgeous!
Salut, Todd

Do not confuse with the beautyberry found in Florida (Callicarpa americana).

Will, thanks. il probably take the insect repelant part first and skip the jelly jam part..for now...lol. by the way its a collected material.

Edric, Thanks. me too....just got lucky in buying the material for a cheap price. i know some type of callicarpa, but like i said i thought it is endemic to US or Europe.. i think.

Todd, thanks, im keeping it under the shade of a big tree, since im not sure if it can take a full hot sunshine. i guess i have to let it stay there.

Lazaro, thanks. Copy.

I am glad you got the correct name..that is the largest beauty berry i have ever seen!!!!!! IT must be a old shrub,you are very lucky to have found it..good luck john

I concur awesome and very old tree keep it healthy

Beautiful callicarpa bonsai. The Japanese grow callicarpa japonica sometimes but I have never seen one as beautiful as yours Jun.
Craig

will baddeley wrote:From what I can find out the Beautyberry is Subtropical but will withstand colder climates. The Berries are edible and make good Jam (jelly). The leaves, if rubbed on skin are supposed to be a good insect repellant.

Will, have you been hitting the Wikipedia again? I've been around Callicarpa (americana) my whole life and I've never heard of anyone making jelly out of the berries or using the leaves for bug repellant. Learn something new everyday, I guess.

Jun, holy crap what a find! I never saw one in Japan, or anywhere else, that looked anything like that. I would think that it can take quite a bit of sun.

Russell

Thanks Russell, that explains it.. thats why they cant identify here it in our locality. guess its rare. i have to love it more then.

callicarpa japonica strikes so easily from cutttings maybe yours will to.
Craig

Thanks Craig, is the scientific name callicarpa japonica the same as the common english name of beauty berry? or the beauty berry goes with another scientific name...sub species maybe?

I,m not too sure which one the English grow maybe someone from the UK can tell you that one. Here in Australia Japonica is the most commonly seen but its restricted to the cool parts of the south east.
Craig

Beautyberry is the common name for the Species.Callicarpa Dichotoma, Americana and Japonica are sub species or varieties.

Not to knitpick, but "Beautyberry" is the common name for the Genus Callicarpa. Dichotoma, americana and japonica are species of Callicarpa, not varieties. 'Early Amethyst' is a variety of Callicarpa dichotoma.

Just trying to get it right.

Russell

Russell Coker wrote:Not to knitpick, but "Beautyberry" is the common name for the Genus Callicarpa. Dichotoma, americana and japonica are species of Callicarpa, not varieties. 'Early Amethyst' is a variety of Callicarpa dichotoma.

Just trying to get it right.

Russell

Sorry Russell. My brain sometimes turns to Jelly (jam) that time in the morning.

Wow! From a roadside vendor!

Libby

Bumblebee,
you got right, from a road side vendor. the "wise men" of bonsai world are always right, when they say- always look for good nebari, when looking for a good material... i think, that is always absolutely right. even for the case of this beauty berry- i didnt know what it was until yesterday. (thanks to Will) i just simply like the base of the tree, lucky me it did not grow into a banana "tree".lol

bumblebee wrote:Wow! From a roadside vendor!

Libby

Beats the hell out of the gargabe we'd find at a roadside vendor, doesn't it?

Libby, we have a great club here in Mobile and we'd love for you to join us sometime. I know it's a long haul from D. I., but we do have a member that comes up from the Bellingrath Gardens area.

Russell

Calicarpa are members of the Verbena family -- a large family of aromatic, often herb-like, plants. Some have edible berries (and birds LOVE Calicarpa americana berries!) . It doesn't surprise me at all that its leaves could be used medicinally or its berries be made into jellies.

Jim,

Maybe if you picked the berries you could sweet talk Mrs. Lewis into making the jelly. Just be sure to rub yourself down with those leaves first so the chiggers don't get you

R

thanks Russell,

So, this tree of mine is really special...i got a rare specimen, il get jelly out of it, then il have a medicine if something goes wrong. LUCKY ME.