Species › Plants › Common Snowberry

Common Snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus

CommonPlant
Illustration of Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)
Safety note: Berries are mildly toxic to humans, causing digestive upset if ingested in quantity.

Common Snowberry is a native shrub of forest edges and thickets across North America, named for its clusters of pure white berries that persist on bare branches through winter. While mildly toxic to humans, the berries are consumed by many birds and mammals in winter. It spreads aggressively by root sprouting and provides dense cover for nesting birds.

Habitat
Forest edges, thickets, and open woods across North America
Diet
Berries eaten by waxwings, bluebirds, and grouse in winter when other food is scarce
How common
Common

Best time to see a Common Snowberry

The best time to see a Common Snowberry is April–September, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 15,651 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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