There are few plants like the Snowberry Plant. They are laden with such beautiful white berries. It is a beautiful-looking plant with an enchanting quality about it. The small clusters of pink flowers that bloom in the spring will become the snow-white berries that will last on the plant until near spring.
In this way, they offer great fall and winter interest. The berries are quite fetching, they seem to float lightly in the air, all about the plant.
Snowberry grows into a round form with arching branches that contain delicate twigs. Leaves are a simple oval with a light green top and a fuzzy, paler underside. In the fall leaves turn yellow and hang on quite late. The small, pink, flowers bloom in clusters in the spring, last for about six weeks, and attract hummingbirds and bees.
They are followed by the namesake fruit, which is a white, waxy, marble-sized berry that is produced in clusters and will persist through the winter, adding a nice visual interest as well as food for wildlife when other sources are scarce.
It grows in many conditions including full sun to full shade which will determine its growth habit. In full sun the shrub will be dense and compact, while in the shade it will become just the opposite, sparse and rather leggy.
It has a variety of wildlife values including providing food to providing shelter. Among its wildlife features, it’s a good plant to attract beneficial insects, it is deer resistant and the flowers attract both hummingbirds and bees.
Other wildlife benefits include shelter and nesting cover for small animals. Many Island birds eat berries as winter food. These include the Rufous Sided Towhee, Varied Thrush, and Northern Grosbeak.