Parish’s Snowberry
Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii
Family: Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae)
Habitat: dry, open areas, rocky hillsides, ridges and along trails
Characteristics: Pink, bell-shaped flowers dangle down from arching branches that root where the tips touch the ground (“adventitious rooting”). The roots are anchored strongly enough to trip an unsuspecting hiker. White berries appear in September and are toxic, as are the leaves. Leaves deciduous.
Blooms: July, August; LV, RV, TV
Comments: Snowberry provides browse for deer and nectar for bees, which produce white honey. Like nearly all white berries, snowberry fruits are toxic (poison: Saponin), as are the leaves. Native uses include mashing leaves with water to make a foaming shampoo to rid oneself of lice. The fruits are used as emetic and cathartic; roots are used to treat colds and stomachache.
Photo: © Colin Barrows