Symphoricarpos

Symphoricarpos
Symphoricarpos albus (Snowberry)
Template:Regnum: Plantae Template:Divisio: Magnoliophyta Template:Classis: Magnoliopsida Template:Ordo: Dipsacales Template:Familia: Caprifoliaceae Template:Genus: Symphoricarpos
Species
About 15 species including: S. albus - Snowberry S. mexicanus - S. microphyllus - S. mollis - Creeping Snowberry S. occidentalis - Wolfberry S. orbiculatus - Coralberry S. oreophilus - S. rotundifolius - S. sinensis -

Symphoricarpos is a small genus of about 15 species of shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae. All but one are natives of North America and Central America, the one remaining is from western China.

The leaves are 1.5-5 cm long, rounded, entire or with one or two basal lobes. The flowers are small, greenish-white to pink, in small clusters of 5-15 together. The fruit are conspicuous, 1-2 cm diameter, soft, varying from white (e.g. S. albus) to pink to red (S. orbiculatus) or blackish purple (S. sinensis). They are edible in as far as not being poisonous, but are completely lacking in any flavour, so are not generally eaten. Even birds tend to leave them until alternative foods are scarce.

The Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus is a popular ornamental shrub in gardens, grown for its decorative white fruit. There are two varieties, S. albus var. albus, native to eastern North America, and S. albus var. laevigatus native to the Pacific coast; the latter is a larger shrub, up to 2 m tall, and with slightly larger fruit.