Posted by Viewfinder (Bradenton, United States) on 7 November 2007 in Plants & Nature and Portfolio.
It was early October when I found these purple berries growing wild alongside a wooded area in North Port, Florida. Does anybody know what they are called? Please tell, because I really do not know.
Ironic sidebar: North Port, FL is about 40 miles due SOUTH of Bradenton. For some reason, that fact amuses me.
UPDATE: juant3 (see his comments below) has researched and identified this berry for us -- it is the American Beautyberry, part of the verbena family. Here's more. Thanks Juan!
Please pray for Bella.
Bella Update: 07/26/08. Saturday. Bella's good this morning; walk was fun/no squirrels, but we did a different block than usual. She likes variety. Breakfast -- meds soon, the post-walk routine. She slept better last night than the one before. Panting still, but it's hot. So, thank you God for another morning blessing today.
Bella and I are grateful for each of you, for caring and singing (love is all around...), and especially for praying. Please understand this miracle being prayed for, because although it is day by day, it also may take a bit of time for completion: Bella's battle for life, wellness, and a healed heart isn't a sprint but a long-distance run.
What we have right now are day by day blessings: I am prayerfully thankful that her good days may be God's bit by bit miracle, slowly unfolding.
VFXY Photos | Cool Photoblogs | Listed on Photoblogs.org
the purple color is just so rich wonderful!
7 Nov 2007 12:26am
@Newbie: I was amazed by the color when I first happened upon it.
Beautiful purple colours
7 Nov 2007 12:39am
@Images by KC Photography: Thank you, I think so too.
Those berries look very juicy! Could've been brighter?
7 Nov 2007 1:07am
@Josh: Maybe could have been lighter, but I didn't process this. What light you see is from the flash; remember these were on the edge of a wooded area. They were growing at about 2 feet in height, and it was rather dark under the canopy of trees.
This on is my fav so far.. what a bright color.. it's screaming to me to eat them... lovely captured !
7 Nov 2007 3:16am
@ColNed Pictures: Thanks -- they do look delicious. But in reading the research juant3 found, I'm afraid that you'd be disappointed if you ate these. Apparently not very sweet -- even the birds leave them until there's nothing left to eat in winter.
wow such a rich purple and juicy looking!i wonder if they are edible?Because if it is i am going to stretch my hand into the screen,haha.I love this post a lot,VF
7 Nov 2007 3:57am
@tyan: Don't grab them off my screen, tyan. But take wisdom from the birds, who I found out leave them alone until there is nothing left. Not very sweet, even if beautiful.
Love the repetition!
7 Nov 2007 5:04am
@Craiger: Thank you!
Very nice macro! The color of these berries are really great!
If what I found is right (I wanted to know the name too), these are called "American beautyberry". You can read more about them at FloriData: Callicarpa americana or Wikipedia: Beautyberry.
Hope that helps!
7 Nov 2007 5:13am
@juant3: Wow! Great help indeed. Thank you juan; I really appreciate your effort in finding this information. I had not one clue.
Beauties, they are! Nice shot.
7 Nov 2007 6:17am
@vu@granby - gilles: I appreciate your kind affirmation.
Wow VF! What a stunning colour! The richness is beautiful! Excellent photo!
7 Nov 2007 7:13am
@Organik: Blushing purple... gee, thanks O-Mum.
I now declare you the Honourable Minister of all Things Purple...man, this is wonderful! Like a still life oil painting, wow :)
7 Nov 2007 7:47am
@Lorraine: :-D Thanks Lorraine. As my first official act, I'll say there's more purple stuff yet to come.
Dear VF,thanks for your kind words at my blog today,i have left a reply which i have copied here for your convenience:)
thank you for your kind encouragement,dear VF. You are right,i just registered Caleb for kindergarten next year,and yes in a twinkling of an eye,they will grow up and have their own lives.I suppose its just that work and self esteem just seems to go so closely together that my confidence level just plunged after i became a stay home mom.I think i need to remember Whom my self worth is found and Who has the right to decide who i am and how much i am worth.
7 Nov 2007 10:43am
@tyan: You are welcome tyan. The "world" does not understand your reasons for giving of yourself this way. The "world" is all about "self" and this "self" wants to rise up and be pampered and indulged. Choosing to love your children enough to defy "self" for a while, and deny its petty demands is not something the "world" wants us to do, because then our enslavement to self-indulgence would be exposed for the fraud that it most certainly is. You are choosing the right path. Consider Psalm 90:12 as your mission statement, Mrs. Stay-at-home Mom. And be glad and wise in your calling. There will be time for doing other things.
I like the color here.
7 Nov 2007 11:01am
@Reza: So glad; I like your Irish girl's green.
NICELY done!! That colour is gorgeous!!
7 Nov 2007 12:52pm
@amy: Thanks! Seeing these growing on their original bush is almost like being given a big purple celebration for the eyes.
well done! the color and composition works!
7 Nov 2007 1:04pm
@M.E.: Appreciate your kind assessment, M.E.
Georgous Royal Purple coloured berries, with a beautiful name to go with them! Great DoF, and the natural shade, from the forest, adds to the richness of the colour. Beautiful VF :)
7 Nov 2007 2:31pm
@MaryB: Thanks much, MaryB. A royal compliment, I'd say.
Wonderful!
7 Nov 2007 3:11pm
@Tago: Thank you!
+++
7 Nov 2007 3:49pm
@tvm: :) :) :)
Well, I am so glad I came upon this today. Definitely surreal looking.
7 Nov 2007 4:29pm
@FC: Glad you did too. It is real, unprocessed; this is the true color. I'd never seen one of these before.
Absolutely Amazing texture and colour. For more than a moment I thought this was a solid sculpture of grapes/berries (I mean this in the best of ways!). Such vivid purples, and no sense of squishy-ness at all. Truly Wow, dear VF.
7 Nov 2007 5:31pm
@Rebecca: How gracious you are, Rebecca my dear friend! These are the prettiest wild berries I've ever seen. I can see why you'd think of grapes, but they are actually much smaller than grapes in real life -- more like large mulberries or large blackberries in size. But alas, they are said to be bitter/astringent to the taste. So not all that is beautiful is also sweet.
Great one !
7 Nov 2007 5:42pm
@Nadine: Many thanks for your comment and for visiting at my site today.
Beautiful color:)
7 Nov 2007 6:54pm
@Takiyah: Thank you Takiyah. Glad you stopped over. I got nosy at your site and checked out "about" and was excited to see you are a Louisiana native, too! What part? My wife and I come from NOLA. How do you like life in Atlanta/Snellville? We lived in Conyers for five years. My impressions: Atlanta is BIG and the traffic is way more than I want to deal with.
Very nice shot! You make them seem very juicy :)
7 Nov 2007 11:07pm
@Ken McCoy: Don't know from experience, but I'm told their taste is pretty bitter. At least they look inviting... heh.
very nice shot ...... looks like a shot for a set of your very own greetings cards !
8 Nov 2007 8:28am
@Me 2: Or a Hallmark moment... lol.
an American Beauty IT is! I'm delighted in your purple finds!
8 Nov 2007 10:45am
@Rabbit: I'm delighted that you are delighted, Miz Rabbit. Hope your day is going swimmingly. Weekend's comin'...
Wow V.F.--superb colour and focus on this image,as other commentee's they do look really juicy--billy
8 Nov 2007 7:56pm
@bronzebilly u.k.: Thank you, old friend. I will not offer you a bite; they may be pretty but according to the songbirds who frequent these woods they aren't very tasty. And those birds ought to know.
Nice purple colour, great shot!
9 Nov 2007 12:37am
@Zing: Thank you Zing, and welcome to Look Closer!
This is right away gorgeous!!! Both the shoot and the colour! I love it! Gabriela in Japan
11 Nov 2007 8:05am
@Japanalia: Thank you Gabriela, I am very pleased that you like this and that you have come to visit this site. Come back often as you can!
Wow! I have never seen those before, very interesting!
14 Nov 2007 6:39am
@ManuelaR: Neither had I. Thanks.
Juan, I saw that plant few years ago and I felt in love with it. It was too nice. It was in Annapolis, MD area. I was trying to find it since then and last summer, I found 2 species that I have introduced in our garden. I hope it will succeed. The climate is colder here in Québec :o)
You will find more infos at this address : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beautyberry
This is a great picture.
Suzanne
14 Mar 2008 4:23pm
PREVIEW ONLY
Add your comment ...
NIKON D801/60 secondF/5.6ISO 200138 mm
purple
Look Closer
#gallery 92443dc9a73e88b4020830a4ba005ad3
#gallery 6bfb02b76ad8bed2bec95a2282c9cae6
#gallery ee94024aa79d22d0256e993d836ef3ab
Look Closer