Food Plots Beautyberry

[Biggun4214]

Has anyone ever set out beautyberry bushes. I've got a few and wondering how versatile they are. Looking for something for grouse, turkey, and deer.

 

[MickThompson]

Good stuff! I've seen them wild only a handful of times. Don't waste them in the shade

 

[Biggun4214]

Thanks

 

[Popcorn]

Isnt that a non-native? Asian I think
Not a bad thing, been doing some USDA NRCS work and they are regionally native specific to a fault...

 

[Quailman]

American Beautyberry is a native shrub and definitely great for wildlife! I see it on a regular basis and it normally grows along a woodland edge because it's not very shade tolerant. I have a lot of growing along the edge of the woods right out my back door.

I've actually transplanted some of it with good results.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I use the "spread by bird" model. Gather up the bunches of mature berries, let dry, and scatter in proper understory or edge type habitats.

 

[MickThompson]

I'd add crabapple, hawthorns, and chinkapins to your list too

 

[BSK]

American Beautyberry is a native shrub and definitely great for wildlife! I see it on a regular basis and it normally grows along a woodland edge because it's not very shade tolerant. I have a lot of growing along the edge of the woods right out my back door.

I've actually transplanted some of it with good results.

Agreed. I see it on forest edges where they border pastures.

 

[Ski]

I'd add crabapple, hawthorns, and chinkapins to your list too

Hard to beat blueberries and American plums. The blueberries LOVE acidic soil and plums will grow anywhere with sun and they spread.

 

[Biggun4214]

Red chokecherry was substituted for the beautyberry. I left it alone.
I was able to get a few plums and pawpaws though.

 

[Ski]

I was able to get a few plums and pawpaws though.

I think you'll like the plums. In a wild setting they aren't trees. They make a nice thicket for cover and produce food in the way of browse and soft mast. They withstand browse pressure, too. I've had them eaten down to nubs and they bud right back out and grow again, then little sporadic sprouts pop up all over in proximity from root suckering. The rabbits and deer at my place seem to really like them. If they never made a fruit I'd still favor them over most other shrubs cover & browse.

 

[tellico4x4]

I think you'll like the plums. In a wild setting they aren't trees. They make a nice thicket for cover and produce food in the way of browse and soft mast. They withstand browse pressure, too. I've had them eaten down to nubs and they bud right back out and grow again, then little sporadic sprouts pop up all over in proximity from root suckering. The rabbits and deer at my place seem to really like them. If they never made a fruit I'd still favor them over most other shrubs cover & browse.

They use a lot of them in SD for shelter belts and the deer and pheasants really use them.