Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

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Symphoricarpos albus

Snowberry

At a Glance: Erect shrub with attractive white berries that persist through the winter.

Height: Up to 6.5 feet (2 meters).
Growth Form: Shrub.
Stems: Very slender, brittle twigs with opposite branching; hairless.
Leaves: Leaves are opposite; leaf margins are smooth to wavy-toothed; shape: elliptic to oval; size: 2-5 cm long, 1-3.5 cm across.
Flowers: Flowers are arranged in small, dense clusters along a raceme or spike; primary color: pink to white; size: 5-7 mm long; shape: bell-shaped.
Flowering Period: May, June, July, August.
Fruits: Fruits are white, berry-like and contain two seeds; persist throughout winter; arranged in dense clusters or singly; size: 6-15 mm across.


Photo © 2003, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
Prefers sunny edges or clearings. full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	Can tolerate fluctuating water tables. wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: FACU (facultative upland)	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
More common in deciduous than coniferous forest.
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value

Berries

Seeds

Nectar for hummingbirds

Nectar for butterflies

Host for insect larvae

Thickets and shelter

Thorny or protective cover

Birds: The berries are eaten by grosbeaks, waxwings, robins, thrushes, towhees, grouse, pheasants, and quails when other food sources are scarce. Snowberry is often a nesting habitat for gadwall ducks.
Insects: The leaves are eaten by the sphinx moth larvae. Bumblebees and hummingbirds feed on the nectar.
Mammals: Leaves and twigs are browsed by deer. Snowberry provides low shelter and nesting cover for small animals.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Toxicity: The white berries are usually considered toxic to humans..

Suggested References

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.