# Roundleaf Snowberry (*Symphoricarpos rotundifolius*)

The Roundleaf Snowberry is a small shrub with round, white berries. It grows in clusters and is loved by birds who eat its berries. This plant is great for gardens and helps nature!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Roundleaf Snowberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Mountain_snowberry_Symphoricarpus_rotundifolius_berries.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Dcrjsr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mountain_snowberry_Symphoricarpus_rotundifolius_berries.jpg)

## Appearance

The Roundleaf Snowberry is a deciduous shrub with distinctive rounded, oval-shaped green leaves. It produces small, inconspicuous pinkish-white bell-shaped flowers that later develop into clusters of prominent, waxy white berries, resembling tiny pearls, which persist into winter.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Dipsacales
- **Family:** Caprifoliaceae
- **Genus:** Symphoricarpos

## Interesting facts

- Even though they look yummy, eating too many snowberries can give you a tummy ache!
- Its scientific name, Symphoricarpos, means 'berries growing together'!
- Native Americans historically used snowberry bark and leaves for traditional remedies!
- Snowberries glow like tiny pearls in the winter forest, catching the eye of hungry birds!

## Special abilities

- **Winter Feast:** Roundleaf Snowberry can hold its bright white berries on bare branches, providing crucial food for wildlife when other sources are scarce.
- **Tough Roots:** Roundleaf Snowberry has strong roots that allow it to thrive in dry, rocky, and often challenging soil conditions.
- **Spreading Power:** Roundleaf Snowberry can spread using underground stems, helping it colonize new areas and form dense thickets.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-150 cm
- **Spread:** 50-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.6 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on its leaves and twigs.
- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Feasts on its persistent winter berries.
- **Pollinates:** Yellow-faced Bumblebee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Visits its small, pinkish flowers.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Don't eat the berries, as they are not good for you!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Roundleaf Snowberry?

Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Roundleaf Snowberry?

50-150 cm

### How wide does Roundleaf Snowberry spread?

50-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Roundleaf Snowberry?

0.3-0.6 cm

### When does Roundleaf Snowberry bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Roundleaf Snowberry edible?

No

### Is Roundleaf Snowberry toxic?

Mild

### What is Roundleaf Snowberry's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Shady Rest Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shady-rest-park) — California, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Roundleaf Snowberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roundleaf-snowberry)