Common snowberry is a native, winter-deciduous shrub that spreads through rhizomes to form thickets. It has small, delicate pink or white flowers in spring and summer followed by showy white fruits that remain on the branches through winter. Common snowberry is well suited to streambanks, moist clearings, and shady areas, where it provides cover and berries for birds. It requires full sun to partial shade and tolerates most soil types if kept moderately watered. Common snowberry is easy to grow and maintain and can be used as a foundation plant, tall groundcover, or hedge.

1. Common Snowberry – Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
(sim-for-ee-KAR-poss AL-bus lev-ee-GATE-us)
Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)
Western N. America from British Columbia to CA; streambanks, riparian sites, moist
clearings and forest edges, open forests to shady woods, shrublands and thickets, roadsides and
other moist to seasonally moist places.
Native to:
woody shrub
mature height: 3-6+ ft. mature width: 3-6+ ft.
Spreading, winter-deciduous woody shrub with numerous erect to drooping branches. Shape may
be mounding or climbing/trailing. Spreads by rhizomes; may form thickets in wet sites. Leaves are
small, light green; bark tan-gray. Moderate growth rate; lives 30-40+ years in wild. Delicate look.
Growth characteristics:
Blooms spring/summer (usually May-July in our area). Flowers are small,
pink/white, superficially reminiscent of manzanita.
Showy white fruits remain on branches
throughout winter – very unique and lovely. Fruits can be cooked and eaten – better as a mild soap!
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: Once a popular foundation plant. Quite nice as a tall groundcover, particularly
on banks & slopes, along streambeds. Gives a ‘woodsy’ feel to the garden. Fine in mixed shrub
beds and under trees. Make good informal or formal (clipped) hedges or combined with other
species in hedgerows. Great for large containers.
Sensible substitute for: Non-native berry-producing shrubs like Cotoneaster.
Excellent habitat plant. Provides cover and berries for birds (but often not their first
choice). Pollinators, including hummingbirds, enjoy the flowers. Deer eat the foliage.
Attracts:
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun (cooler gardens) to full shade; part-shade probably optimal.
Just about any, including heavy clays; any local pH: 6.0-8.0
Best with some summer water (Zone 2 or 2/3) but quite adaptable once
established. Fine with winter flooding.
Fine with an organic mulch; low needs.
Quite easy to grow. Remove suckers to control spread. Can be sheared or pruned,
if desired, during winter dormancy.
Management:
Propagation: from seed: fresh seed best; clean
by cuttings: suckers, hard-wood, semi-softwood
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 6, 7, 8, 9, 13
10/29/08
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