Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

Snowberry is a small to medium sized deciduous shrub that is best known for its namesake snow-white berries, which ripen in late summer and persist throughout the winter, providing a valuable winter food source for birds, and lasting ornamental value for the gardener. It has long, slender branches that arch gracefully under the weight of the fruits, which are not edible to humans. Small, pink urn-shaped flowers attract native bees and other pollinators in the spring. Snowberry is fast growing, easy to grow, adaptable to a wide range of conditions, and its rhizomatous habit makes it useful for erosion control. 

Sun Exposure: Full shade, partial shade, full sun
Soil & Moisture: Moist to seasonally dry soil. Prefers well-drained, humus-rich soils. Tolerates poor soils. Drought tolerant once established.
Mature Size: Up to 6' tall, spreads by rhizomes
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Edible: No
Wildlife Value: Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Butterfly and moth host plant. Fruits are eaten by birds. Provides cover and nesting sites. Browsed by deer and other wildlife.
Native Range & Habitat: Woodlands and meadows from low to mid elevations. Native from Alaska south to California, and east to Montana.
Other Names: ts’ex̱wts’x̱wáy̓ (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim)