Autumn is the time when the exotic beauty fruit presents its shiny violet, berry-like fruits. Nevertheless, caution is advised, because the love pearl bush is not as harmless as it seems.
In a nutshell
- A deciduous shrub with showy fruits and beautiful fall foliage
- Berries look like small colorful sugar balls
- Entices children in particular to try it
- Berries are considered slightly poisonous
- There are poisonous and non-poisonous varieties of the love pearl bush
Nice but inedible
With its colorful fruits, the beauty fruit (Callicarpa bodinieri) lives up to its name. You can admire them, but you shouldn't eat them. They are poisonous both for people, especially small children, and for animals or pets such as dogs, cats and rodents. Children and cats in particular are magically attracted to these bright fruits. While birds will eat these berries in the wild without presumably harming them, care should be taken with pet birds kept indoors.
Serious poisoning unlikely
Poisoning by the love pearl bush with a fatal outcome is rather unlikely. If you actually put the berries in your mouth, you will quickly notice that they are bitter and taste very unpleasant. As a rule, they are quickly spat out again. In order to rule out any danger, anyone who has small children or pets who could come into contact with the fruit should refrain from planting a beauty fruit. This also applies to individual branches that you want to use as decoration for the vase.
Tip: Although the fruits of the beauty fruit are poisonous, the leaves can protect against mosquitoes and ticks when rubbed on the skin.
toxins and symptoms
Source: AnRo0002, 20131113Callicarpa bodinieri3, Edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0
The love pearl bush contains callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol, all three substances are slightly toxic. The level of toxins varies depending on the strain. When ingested, these toxins can cause mild to severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. In addition to the poisonous ones, there should also be non-poisonous varieties such as the American beauty fruit 'Callicarpa americana'. Their juicy, sweet and fleshy fruits are even said to be edible.
frequently asked Questions
What to do in the event of symptoms of poisoning?In the event of possible symptoms of poisoning, it is definitely advisable to consult a doctor or veterinarian and/or call the poison control center for information. There you can get expert and medical advice and act accordingly if necessary.
Can poisoning also occur through skin contact?The poisonous effect of the fruit unfolds only when consumed. In case of skin contact there is no danger of poisoning, on the contrary, applied externally, the love pearl bush can even keep bugs away.
When does this plant flower and bear fruit?The rather inconspicuous soft pink to purple flowers appear from July to August. The fruits appear after flowering in autumn and usually stay on the bush until Christmas.