# Common Snowberry

*Symphoricarpos albus*

Indigenous peoples used the saponin-rich crushed berries as a soothing skin wash and the straight, hollowed stems to craft arrow shafts.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Dipsacales › Caprifoliaceae › Symphoricarpos
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Moist to dry forest edges, open woodlands, and rocky slopes
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthesis)
- **Range:** Canada, United States
- **Size:** 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) tall
- **Lifespan:** 20-50 years (longer via clonal rhizome spreading)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation and displacement by invasive understory plants.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to touch, but defensive if ingested. The snowy white berries contain toxic saponins that cause mild to moderate gastrointestinal distress in humans and pets. Safe to observe and touch. Do not ingest. If eaten, rinse mouth, monitor for symptoms, and seek medical advice if large quantities are consumed.

## About

Symphoricarpos albus is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known by the common name common snowberry . It is native to North America, where it occurs across much of Canada and the northern and western United States.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/8b3ddf55-ad03-4276-80cd-159a5e999a28
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/48523
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphoricarpos albus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/40205082/medium.jpeg (Rupert Clayton, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.