By Shelley Patterson
I must admit, these dense and prolific shrubs have often annoyed me. More than once I’ve tripped over their tangled branches, or attempted to pull one out only to discover that the roots simply refuse to budge.And yet, despite this stubborn nature, I’ve kept many of these determined bushes tucked into my flower beds. Their fresh spring foliage and delicate white summer blooms make them worth the trouble. Incorporating these native, drought-adaptive shrubs into my garden areas has not disappointed me.
Roughly the size of a cultivated boxwood, snowberry bushes (Symphoricarpos albus) emerge in spring with light green foliage. As the plant matures, darker green, oval-shaped leaves appear, followed by tightly packed plumes of tiny white flowers. The real magic happens when these blooms are in full display—local bees simply cannot resist them.
On many occasions, I’ve watched bees fly straight past my prized lilies and other perennials, only to make a beeline for the snowberry blossoms. I consider this a win-win. This irresistible attractant keeps bees moving through the garden, encouraging them to wander, search, and pollinate everything in their path.
Soon after flowering, clusters of distinctive white berries begin to form. While these berries are non-edible for humans, they play an important role in the local ecosystem. On Anarchist Mountain, snowberry bushes provide valuable food and shelter for birds and small mammals, especially as fall turns to winter. Their dense branching offers protection from predators and harsh weather, making them a quiet but essential contributor to local wildlife habitat.
Right now as I am enjoying the snow covered scenery with less work and more rest. This resilient shrubs is also resting. Soon though this tiny buddy of bees may have snow piled higher over it and colder temps will be here. This is nothing new for an underrated Snowberry bush. This hardy new acquaintance may be resting now but will be more than ready to burst forth in spring.
Sometimes the most unassuming-even annoying plants turn out to have the greatest purpose—and the snowberry bush is a perfect example of that.