In autumn it is hard for anything in the garden to come up to the beauty of the changing leaves, particularly the unbridled color we see in higher elevations and in the Northeast. However, one native shrub that always turns my head is beautyberry or French mulberry. While so much of our focus this time of year is about leaves, this plant is about its fruit. The purple berries are clustered along tall straight stems making a striking statement. For anyone who is into flower arranging this plant is a must.

There is also a beautyberry that produces white berries that is equally prolific, but the purple seems to fit better into an autumn color theme.