Common Snowberry
Symphoricarpos albus
Common snowberry is a spindly branched shrub that thickens into a thicket 4-6 ft wide. The wiry twigs bear small, oval leaves, about 5 cm long. The stems end in inconspicuous clusters of pale pink, bell-shaped flowers. The fruit — a round, watery white berry — grows in sparse clusters.
Basic Information
Member of the Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle) family
Deciduous shrub
This plant is subject to a taxonomical debate, with some authorities recognizing one variety — var. laevigatus — while others treat it as a distinct species — Symphoricarpos rivularis
Habitat
Native to most of North America, where it grows across much of Canada and the northern and western United States
In California, this plant commonly grows in the Coast Ranges, Central Valley, Sierras and foothills, Transverse Range, and Peninsular Range
Commonly found in shady, moist forest habitats, woodland, floodplains, and riverbanks
Ecological Role
Songbirds, game birds, and small mammals use this plant for food, cover, and nesting sites
A number of large mammals also rely on this plant as a food source, including bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, and grizzly bears
Pocket gophers dig burrows underneath this plant in winter
Good for erosion control in riparian areas — planted in ecological restoration projects on disturbed sites such as abandoned mines
Reproduction
Blooms from June to July
This plant grow relatively fast, spreading by underground roots (rhizomes) to form a dense thicket
Alternative Names
Upright Snowberry, White Snowberry
Historical Uses
Despite it being inedible, native people had a variety of uses for snowberry:
Medicinal uses
Infusion of roots for colds and stomach aches
Infusion of twigs for fever
Mashed fruit to treat sore eyes or itchy skin
The fruit was used as a soap
Berries used for fishing, much like the California buckeye (Aesculus californica), California manroot (Marah fabacea), and the soap plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)
Crushed fruits were thrown in great quantities into slow-moving creeks or pools to stun fish
Soap-like saponins in the fruits enter through the gills and interfere with oxygen absorption and transport
The wood was also used extensively:
Branches tied together for a broom
Stems sharpened and used as root digging sticks
Hollow stems used for pipe stems and for arrow shafts for small bird hunting
Additional Information
The berries of this plant are toxic to people
