Symphoricarpos oreophilus

Common Names

Mountain Snowberry, Snowberry, Whortleleaf Snowberry, Utah Snowberry

Summary

Mountain Snowberry is a native montane shrub of western North America, typically 0.3–1.5 m tall with an erect, spreading, or trailing habit, opposite simple oval to obovate leaves, pink to white funnel-shaped flowers, and white globose berries usually borne in pairs; it occupies open habitat such as mountain pine forests at elevations around 5,500–9,000 ft (1,676–2,743 m).

In cultivation it grows in USDA zones 4a–10b, in well-drained soils with drought tolerance and shade intolerance, and can be propagated by layering or seed (seed dormancy requiring stratification; storage up to 10 years); direct seeding in fall/winter or transplanting nursery stock are effective, with ornamental uses including hedges, windbreaks, erosion control, groundcover, and wildlife habitat, and berries provide food for birds.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-4 ft

Spread

3-5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4a-7b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, sandy-loam to clay-loam soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.5-7.5, Neutral to basic

Bloom Color

Pink to White

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer

Foliage Color

Dark green above; light green beneath.

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Layering, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, Other pollinators, Birds