How to Manage and Identify American Beautyberry

How to Manage and Identify American Beautyberry Introduction: American beautyberry has colorful berries that last long into winter and are eaten by a variety of wildlife. Beautyberry has proven to be an attractive plant for wildlife within its native range.Birds - including robins, catbirds, cardinals, mockingbirds, brown thrashers, finches and towhees - are favorite consumers of both the fresh berries and shriveled raisins. The fruit is heavily used by white-tailed deer and will be eaten well into late November. Specifics: Scientific name: Callicarpa americanaPronunciation: kallee-CAR-pa ameri-KON-aCommon name(s): American beautyberry, beauty berry, French mulberry,USDA hardiness zones: 6 through 10Origin: native from Maryland to Florida an west through Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas.Uses: natural garden specimen; wildlife food; spring flowersAvailability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree. American Beautyberrys Ecology: Beautyberry commonly occurs on a wide variety of sites - moist to dry, open to shady. A favorite place for the American beautyberry is under open stands of pines. It is a pioneer and grows in newly disturbed forests, along forest margins and along fencerows. It is somewhat fire tolerant and increases in abundance after burns. Birds will readily spread seeds. Description: Leaf: Opposite, deciduous, ovate to broadly lanceolate, 6 to 10 inches long, margins coarsely serrate to crenate except near base and hairy beneath with prominent veins.Flower: Dense axillary clusters with lavender-pink cymes on short stalks.Trunk/bark/branches: Multi-trunked, shade tolerant and with spreading branches. Stems ascending and spreading, opposite branched and young twigs light green. Fruit: The berry is a drupe, purple to violet and particularly attractive in September and October. The showy fruit clusters encircle the entire stem at regular intervals starting in late summer and persist to early winter. Propagation: As I have mentioned, seeds are bird-dispersed and this seeding is a major way the plant spreads. You can also propagate using semi-hardwood cuttings. This shrub often volunteers within its range, sometimes with such vigor that the species can be considered a pest. What the Experts Say!: Dr. Mike Dirr, Professor of Horticulture, University of Georgia: It is a great thrill to experience the plant in the wild, particularly in September and October when the fruit are at their best. This shrub thrives with neglect.Dr. Charles Bryson, Mississippi Botanist:My grandfather would cut branches with the leaves still on them and crush the leaves, then he and his brothers would stick the branches between the harness and the horse to keep deerflies, horseflies and mosquitoes away. In Depth: American beautyberry has a coarse habit, large toothed green to yellow-green oval-shaped leaves that turn chartreuse in the fall. Small lilac flowers appear in late summer, and for the next several months, the fruit, which grow in clusters around the stem, ripen to a vibrant purple color. This woody shrub reaches 3-8 tall and is native to the southeast, where it will grow best in moist areas but can also withstand drought.In the landscape, you can prune Amercian beautyberry if it grows too lanky. Pruning actually makes a very pretty plant. Cut it back to within 4-6 of the ground in early spring as it flowers and fruits on new wood. To make more beautyberries, take softwood cuttings, place them in sand and keep moist. Cuttings should root in one to two weeks.This plant can tolerate extremes of heat and cold, it is very rarely bothered by insects or diseases and will live in most soils. Beautyberry can stand partial shade but is at its best in full sun if provided ample moisture. It wi ll also be denser and more fruitful in sun. American Beautyberry looks best planted in masses and is especially beautiful under pine trees or placed in a shrub border.By late summer and autumn the flowers give rise to berry-like drupes in striking metallic shades of magenta and violet in the fall. The beautyberries are packed tightly together in clusters that encircle the stem. A variety called lactea has white fruits.

How to Start an Academic Club in School

How to Start an Academic Club in School For students planning to apply to a selective college, membership in an academic club is a must. College officials will be looking for activities that make you stand out, and club membership is an important addition to your record. This doesnt mean you will have to feign interest in an organization that already exists. If you share a strong interest in a hobby or subject with several friends or fellow students, you may want to consider forming a new club. By forming an official organization that really interests you, you are demonstrating true leadership qualities. Wanting to take on the role of a leader is only the first step. You need to find a purpose or theme that will engage you and others. If you have a hobby or interest that you know enough other students share, go for it! Or maybe there is a cause you want to help. You could start a club that helps keep the natural spaces (like parks, rivers, woods, etc.) clean and safe. And once you establish a club around a topic or activity you love, you are sure to stay more engaged. You might receive the added honor of recognition from the public and/or school officials who appreciate your initiative. So how should you go about this? If you are starting a club at school, you may want a teacher to serve as advisor as a first step. You may need a teacher or coach just to gain permission for using school facilities.The teacher or advisor may be temporary. Sometimes, a teacher will start the first meeting and encourage students to follow through with organization.The most important requirements for starting a successful club are interest and commitment.Once you know you have a team willing to commit to a regular meeting time and a cause, you can manage the rest with ease.Next you will need clear organization. Structure will keep the club together in slow times (like during a few heavy months of heavy homework and testing) or in the event of a disagreement. Steps to Forming a Club Appointment of a temporary chairman or president. At first you will need to assign a temporary leader who will preside over the drive to form the club. This may or may not be the person who serves as permanent chairman or president.Election of temporary officers. The members should discuss which office appointments are necessary for your club. Decide whether you want a president or chairman; whether you want a vice president; whether you need a treasurer; and whether you need someone to keep the minutes of each meeting.Preparation of constitution, mission statement, or rules. Decide upon a committee to write a constitution or rule booklet.Register club. You may need to register with your school if you plan to hold meetings there.Adoption of constitution or rules. Once a constitution is written to everyones satisfaction, you will vote to adopt the constitution.Election of permanent officers. At this time you can decide if your club has enough officer positions, or if you need to add s ome positions. Club Positions Some of the positions you should considered are: President: Leads meetingsVice president: Plans eventsSecretary: Records and reads minutesTreasurer: Handles fundsHistorian: Keeps a picture book and notesPublicity Officer: Makes and distributes flyers, postersWeb master: Maintains web site General Order of a Meeting You can use these steps as a guideline for your meetings. Your specific style can be less formal, or even more formal, according to your goals and tastes. Call to order by the president or chairmanReading and approval of the minutes from the previous meetingDiscussion of old businessDiscussion of new businessProgramAdjournment Things to consider When to meet and how oftenHow many members you can handleHow much funding you will needWays to raise moneyWhether or not to have club duesActivities for everyone to participate in Finally, you will want to make sure that the club you choose to create involves an activity or a cause that you really feel comfortable with. You will be spending a lot of time on this venture in the first year.