Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Callicarpa americana

Edible. I did not know that.

Congress Street opposite Cobble Hill Park.

Not my favourite colour.

Needs good sun or sun through leaves.

7 comments:

  1. I think it's a beautiful colour.

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  2. Beautiful berries! I found a whole bunch of them naturalized in a thicket next to the runoff from a friend's pond. I'd say they're most definitely edible if you're a mockingbird; not really edible for humans. D'you have a good reference for them being edible?

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  3. It's my favorite color.
    I put in one of these because it was recommended in all the "planting for birds" books and articles -- but they leave it very much alone. Beauty bush, indeed.

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  4. Reconsidering.

    It is a pretty picture. Maybe it's the brownstone behind it that makes it look funny to me.

    I like actual violets, which can be this colour.

    Don't know. Shall think some more.

    QC various online sources say edible: jam, pancakes..others say not sure. I will nibble some tonight and see what happens.

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  5. So I nibbled...and spat for good measure. Discretely. Not like in Chinatown this morning where I was missiled several times.

    So: not sweet. Squooshy and a little gritty. An aftertaste quite distinct, in the way that almond essence is. No...not cyanide.

    I could see a niche for Beauty Berry essence in baking. Vaguely bitter, but more aromatic in the way I cannot define, never having tasted it before. Too crunchy for jam, I think. But lilac jelly might be fun.

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  6. I like this color. Not to wear or paint my living room. But it is as close to artificial color, but not!
    Intense, purple with undertones of blue & magenta. MMMM.

    I took a photo of these at BBG yesterday; birds flitting in and out of them. They look like candy.

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