Beauty Berry / Great Woolly Malayan Lilic
Origin of name
Family: LAMIACEAE
- Callicarpa meaning “beautiful fruit“
- candicans meaning “becoming white“
Occurrence
A local species of disturbed rainforest, gallery rainforest, vine thickets, monsoon forest and drier rainforest.
Prefers well-drained, part-shaded, protected site and benefits from mulching. May become straggly, but is easily pruned to prevent this.
Appearance
Usually a small, sparse shrub (1-2m) with hairy branches. Heads of pale pink to mauve flowers (Nov-Feb) followed by clusters of small berries mauve, purple or deep red/black in colour. Flower and fruit colour vary a lot.
Indigenous use: Crushed leaves used to stupefy fish, and sometimes for arrow poison. Fruit is attractive to birds. Leaves, bark and roots are of current medicinal interest.
