The golf course in my neighborhood was closed for maintenance the other day.  This means the dogs and my mid-morning walk could include the cart path where the American Beautyberry bushes line the side.  I took a small clipping from a bush so could make a watercolor sketch in the studio.  Too hot and way tooooo many mosquitoes for this girl to even think about parking herself down to sketch.

The fruit of the Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana L., is consumed by more that 40 species of songbirds!  White-tailed deer will also eat the leaves when their preferred foods are scarce.  No sign of deer munching on these bushes.  My favorite book, Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses, also notes that Bobwhite, Raccoon, Virginia Opossum and Nine-banded Armadillo also consume the fruit.

I found another new-to-me shrub/tree to sketch too.  My pockets were bulging with clippings 🙂 Still working on that sketch 🙂  Till next time….