I noticed this shrub (bush) here at NGA and would love to try starting from seed since it isn't listed as hardy to my growing zone 5. I'm thinking seeds should currently be available if anyone has the bush. Thanks.

It IS hardy in Zone 5.

Thank you David @DavidLMO. Perhaps if I find a plant come spring, that I feel I can afford, then maybe I'll just go that route. I probably need to check Lowe's then, they often sell plants *not* hardy in our zone. All the information I could find on this specific shrub is that it's only hardy to zone 6, so good to know it's really hardy in zone 5.

Do you have seeds of it you would like to trade? or sell? or postage?

I'll check and see if mine made seeds. I have so many shrubs, I do not keep track mentally.

Our database shows American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) as hardy to zone 5a:

I'm not sure how you'd get the seeds out of the berries... I usually just chew them.

If you could locate the bushes growing wild, or in someone's yard, they grow easily from stem cuttings... I've never even used rooting hormone, just cut some branches and stick them in a bed... instant plants.
Maybe dig a rooting bed in the shade garden?

Hi Teresa,

I just collected berries of American Beautyberry for the seeds. I'm sharing the seeds in a seed swap here at NGA. Just send me a tree-mail and I'll be happy to send you some.

Or, if you are interested in joining the seed swap, everyone is welcome ~
http://garden.org/apps/swap/vi...

I'm pretty sure they are easley grown from seed. When I worked at the nursery we had seedlings come up everywhere once we discovered what they were we never bought anymore we potted the seedlings up.
I don't have one but I know where one is. If you don't have any seeds by Wednesday I'll stop and get some.

Thanks everyone!

@plantladylin I certainly must have been tired when I looked at the NGA plant database entry. I went there from the home page when I saw it listed. I thought it said 6a.

@stone the berries taste good ? I do plant things for the birds since I'm bad about taking down most all the annuals they feast on in the fall (for the looks of things), including echinacea which I can't keep up with if I let them go to seed. (They wipe out the sunflower seeds before fall ever comes usually.) I sure would prefer they feast on American Beauty Berry seeds as versus the poison ivy they bring to my garden from a neighboring poison ivy mess.

@plantcollector thanks for the info about growing them from seeds.

Maybe learn to appreciate the looks of the seeds...
I prefer that my birds eat the seeds on the plants, this keeps them safer...
If I put out seeds in a bird feeder, the cats would be able to catch them easier, the birds would be at the mercy of the bird seed industry (wasn't very long ago that one producer was fined for poison bird seed), also... They spread colds and stuff at those bird feeders....

Have you been following the pics I've been posting on the South East forum?
The thread "Southeast Months in Bloom - November & December 2016" in Southeast Gardening forum

Re: do the berries taste good?
They taste interesting.
If you google edibility, you will find Greene Dean's recipe for jelly....
Personally, I just snack on a handfull of fresh berries from time to time.... They're not tasty enough to graze the entire bush....

@stone . . . long sigh!!! Appreciate the "looks of the seeds" ?? After 15 years of my house being trashed every fall and winter with seed bags (found I can't leave them outside because of bugs and spiders love to get in the bags - and they dry better in the house - less moisture), and then cleaning hundreds of varieties, making more messes, you really think I should appreciate the "looks of the seeds" !? Just kidding. I enjoy my job, am thankful, but I do sometimes get tired of cleaning seeds. More so than the looks of the seeds, I appreciate or enjoy the birds

I know folks tend to think that other folks that are in business make lots of money. But in my situation, to the contrary. November and December can be very slow months for me with little coming in. So I'm excited to have found a local job in a hardware store that hired me knowing I would be seasonal temporary, and part time. So though I have done more reading here the last couple weeks, I seldom get to the directional forums. But thanks for the link, I'll check it out in my relaxing time. I'm off to work this morning, but checking in here while checking my emails. Also will want to go back to "visit your garden" as I quickly looked but only scrolled twice, so lots left to see and more closely when I'm not needing to ready for elsewhere.

I meant... Appreciate the winter interest....

Found a link for poison bird seed fine.... 4&1/2 million$!
http://www.dispatch.com/conten...

I am also looking for seeds from this plant. Anyone care to help? TIA

I see that this thread is closed but I will add one photo before I forget.
In 2014 I learned how to harvest the American Beautyberry seed.