garden snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus

Member of common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)
snowberries (genus Symphoricarpos)
honeysuckle family (family Caprifoliaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
pale purple, red purple in flowering plants

There are no other wild members of this species in California.

---

• plant 60–180 cm, erect
• corolla swollen on 1 side, with 5 nectary glands within swelling
• inflorescence generally 8–16-flowered

Edibility: Contains saponins, and saponins make things taste like soap [source]. Sapopins are also toxic, although poorly absorbed. It would take many kilos of fruit from this plant in order to produce toxic symptoms [source].

Toxicity of wax berry (Symphoricarpos spp.):
3 – Ingestion of these plants is expected to cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms that may cause illness but is not life-threatening.

---

Chris’s observations: 28 (11 are research grade)

Locations:

• Golden Gate National Recreation Area: 4
• San Bruno Mountain State & County Park: 4
• Coal Creek OSP: 2
• Sibley Volcanic RP: 2
• Stevens Creek CP: 2
• Sweeney Ridge National Recreation Area: 2
• Almaden Quicksilver CP
• Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve
• Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood RP
• Foothills Nature Preserve, Palo Alto
• La Honda Creek OSP
• Lake Chabot RP
• Los Trancos OSP
• Mt. Diablo SP
• Murray Ranch SP
• Rancho Cañada del Oro OSP
• San Pedro Valley CP
• Windy Hill OSP

Months:

• Apr.: 1
• May: 1
• Jun.: 2
• Jul.: 4
• Aug.: 6
• Sep.: 4
• Oct.: 2
• Nov.: 3
• Dec.: 3
• Jan.: 1
• Feb.: 1

For more details, use advanced search.

---

Not all sites include this taxon:

• Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus → iNaturalist – Calflora – CalPhotos – Jepson eFlora
• not yet listed → FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora