snowberry

/snoh"ber'ee, -beuh ree/, n., pl. snowberries.

1. a North American shrub, Symphoricarpos albus, of the honeysuckle family, cultivated for its ornamental white berries.

2. any of certain other white-berried plants.

[1750-60, Amer.; SNOW + BERRY]

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Any of about 18 species of low shrubs that belong to the genus Symphoricarpos of the honeysuckle family.

All are native to North America, except for one species in central China. All have bell-shaped, pinkish or white flowers and snow-white berries. The best-known ornamental species are S. albus, a shrub 3 ft (1 m) high, with delicate stems, oval leaves, and large, pulpy, white berries, and S. rivularis, slightly larger, with elliptical leaves and a profusion of berries. Creeping snowberry is a plant of the genus Gaultheria (heath family).

Snowberry (Symphoricarpos rivularis)

Sven Samelius

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▪ plant

 any of about 18 species of low shrubs belonging to the genus Symphoricarpos of the family Caprifoliaceae. All are native to North America except for one species in central China. All have bell-shaped, pinkish or white flowers and two-seeded berries.

      The best-known ornamental species of Symphoricarpos snowberries are S. albus, a shrub, 1 m (3 feet) high, with delicate stems, oval leaves, and large, pulpy, white berries, and S. rivularis, slightly larger, with elliptical leaves, and a profusion of berries. The Chinese species, S. sinensis, has bluish black berries. Wolfberry (S. occidentalis), about 1.5 m tall, bears white berries. Indian currant, or coralberry (S. orbiculatus), more than 2 m tall, bears purplish berries. Creeping snowberry is a plant of the genus Gaultheria (family Ericaceae).

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