| PSC 2620: Woody Trees and Shrub | Course Home | Week 11 |
Symphoricarpos albus - Snowberry
Plant Viewer
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| The leaf of the Snowberry is blue-green in color with a pink margin on young leaves. They are oval in shape and have an undulating margin. | The fruit is white and round and forms in tight clusters. |
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| The small flowers form in short hanging racemes. They are white with pink highlights. Image: Wikimedia.org | Symphoricarpos albus has a dense, rounded form. |
Plant Description
Symphoricarpos albus, or Common Snowberry, is a medium sized and fast-growing deciduous shrub reaching 3-6 feet tall and typically slightly narrower. It has a dense branching habit and a good upright, rounded form. It is extremely tolerant of all soil types and prefers full sun to almost full shade. It needs a moderate amount of moisture, but will tolerate dry conditions. The stem has a hollow or excavated pith and the bark is brown. New stems are pubescent.
The leaf is an attractive bluish-green color and oval to elliptic in shape. They are 3/4 - 2 inches long and often have an undulating or loosely lobed margin. New leaves have a distinct pink-tinged margin. The underside of the leaf is pubescent. In the early summer, small and drooping pink flowers appear in short terminal racemes. They are not ornamentally important, but are attractive when viewed closely.
Following the flowers, tight clusters of pure white fruits appear on the tree. The rounded drupe fruits create a unique color and texture and are an important ornamental feature. The fruit will persist on the tree into winter, but usually turns an unimpressive brown.
Landscape Use
Snowberry is good to use as a loose hedge plant or as a late-season accent plant. It is valuable for being a drought-tolerant shrub that can tolerate almost full shade.
Points of Interest
The berries are bland and inedible for humans, but wildlife will eat them. The berries are susceptible to berry rot, which causes them to turn brown towards the end of the season.
Notable Cultivars
Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii 'Marleen'
Coral Berry, the fruit is a vibrant pink color.
