Beauty Berries at the Swamp

Beauty Berries are very showy in the fall and not missed in wooded areas because of their bright magenta color. This perennial is seen throughout the Dismal Swamp and in local wooded areas.  The seeds and berries are food for many species of birds and the foliage is a favorite with white tailed deer.  Native Americans used the plant for many medicinal purposes including:

• Root tea & Leaf tea used in sweat baths for rheumatism, fevers and malaria
• Root tea used for dysentery and stomach aches
• Root and berry tea used for colic

Visit https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAAM2 to learn more about the American beautyberry.