Sunday, May 15, 2016

Snowberries

The snowberries (Symphoricarpos spp.), sometimes called Indian currant waxberry, wolf-berry and other vernacular names are represented by 10 to 15 variable species, all native to North America.

Four species are native to California. Some forms are valued as ornamentals because of their large waxy snow-white berries.

The snowberries closely resemble their relatives, the twinberries. Like the twinberries, they may have their own flowers borne in pairs. However, there is one easy way to distinguish them: twinberries always have red or black berries, while the snowberries have only white berries.

Snowberry is a low deciduous shrub that reaches about 3-6 ft in height and produces waxy white berries late summer and fall. These berries usually remain in the shrub until the leaves drop in the winter.

The nutritive value of snowberries seems to compare favorably with those of many equally palatable deciduous shrubs. The snowberries have considerable value for wildlife for they produce high-quality forage and good cover for game birds and small animals.
Snowberries

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