While walking along the path to Hamilton pool, the American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is definitely one of the standout plants. The edible berries are bright purple and quite large, which makes for a nice contrast to the surrounding greenery. The American beautyberry is a fast growing native perennial shrub that can grow 5-8 feet tall. The leaves are oppositely arranged with wooly-like hairs on their underside. This shrub is distributed throughout the southeastern United States from Texas and Oklahoma all the way to Maryland. It is commonly found in woody areas with moist soils. It is considered a pioneer species and is characteristic of the mid-stages of succession.
In late spring to early summer, American beautyberry flowers of purple or pink appear in clusters on the stem and quickly become white/pink berries. In late summer to early fall, the berries deepen in color and reach full ripeness. They can be eaten raw, or can be used to make jelly and wine. Mosquito repellent properties have also been found in the leaves, making this plant the most versatile and beneficial of all my biodiversity observations. Next time I come across it, I will definitely grab some berries and attempt to make American beautyberry wine!
My iNaturalist post can be found here.
References
https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_caam2.pdf
http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/09/beautyberry.html