November EcoQuest: Searching for Snowberries
As we enter late fall and most plants go dormant, it gets trickier to identify species. It might feel as if quests for native flora will have to rest until spring, but some species stand out this time of year! Braving a wintry walk may bring into focus plants such as snowberry, which can be spotted even in the late fall and winter months due to their white berries that persist into the colder months.
Snowberries have ecological and ethnobotanical importance. For birds and small mammals, the berries serve as important winter food, while the woody shrubbery provides important habitat. Ethnobotanically, these species were used for a variety of purposes by Native Americans, from hair soap to tonics and eyewashes. However, these fruits are poisonous when consumed outside small amounts.
Snowberries, known scientifically as the Symphoricarpos genus, are in the Honeysuckle family, or Caprifoliaceae. Species in this family are often woody and have opposite leaves, pithy stems, and twin flowers and fruits. Symphoricarpos contain species that are small deciduous shrubs, with opposite leaves and bell-shaped pink to white flowers. "Symphoricarpos" is from the Greek "symphorein" meaning "borne together," and "karpos" meaning "fruit", referring to the closely packed berries.
In Colorado there are three common species in the Symphoricarpos genus: western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), common snowberry (S. albus), and mountain snowberry (S. rotundifolius). These species can be challenging to tell apart, and they often occupy similar habitats. It’ll be tricky to identify to the species level without all the plant parts present—so take good pictures of the remaining berries, stem, and leaves and bring along a key or field guide.
This November, turn your winter hike into a scientific exploration by searching for snowberries! Help Denver Botanic Gardens document Symphoricarpos in the greater metro area by photographing as many as possible in the month of November. Post your findings to iNaturalist so they will automatically be added to the Denver EcoFlora Project.
Photo by Sue Janssen
@suejanssen
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