Bushes That Have Dark Purple Berries

Berries in Early Summer

• The edible purplish-black berries on true laurel (Laurus nobilis) and serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) ripen in early summer. Female true laurel bushes bear edible berries if pollinated by a nearby male bush. Its fragrant leaves are a culinary herb, and this broadleaf evergreen grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10. Serviceberry, also known as Juneberry, bears green berries that mature to red and turn purplish-black when ripe. The berries are commonly cooked into jams and pies, and the bush grows in USDA zones 4 through 9.

Berries From Late Summer Into Fall

• Some bushes put out dark purple berries from late summer into fall. American elder (Sambucus canadensis) grows in USDA zones 3 through 9 and produces dark purple to black, berry-like fruit that taste good in preserves, wine and pies. This bush spreads into colonies, so choose a space where this growth habit won’t cause problems. The extremely tart, but edible, berries on smooth witherod (Viburnum nudum) emerge light pink, turn deep-pink and mature to purplish-black. Planting a few of these bushes to promote cross-pollination, in USDA zones 5 through 9, results in the best berry display.

Berries in the Fall

• Oregon grape-holly (Mahonia aquifolium) and beautyberry grow in USDA zones 5 through 8 and their berries ripen in the fall. The deep blue-purple edible berries on Oregon grape-holly taste a bit sour when eaten fresh but make outstanding jelly and resemble a cluster of grapes. This broadleaf evergreen produces more fruit when grown with at least one other Oregon grape-holly, and it has a spreading habit. Beautyberry produces inedible berries that birds love to eat. Although a deep and vibrant shade of purple in the fall, these berries promptly turn brown.

Berries Persist Into Winter

• Certain bushes produce an abundance of dark-purple berries that persist into winter, which adds interest to your landscape during these cold months. The edible berries on purple-fruited chokeberry (Aronia x prunifolia) ripen in late summer, and the bush grows in USDA zones 4 through 7. Although the fruit is too acidic to eat raw, you can turn the berries into wine or syrup. The inedible purple-pink berries on coral berry “Kordes” (Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii “Kordes”) are ripe in September and birds love to eat them. This deer-tolerant bush grows in USDA zones 3 through 7.