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Symphoricarpos albus
A deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae. The white berries that often cluster together are poisonous to humans (causing vomiting). Generally there is a single erect woody stem 2-6 ft. long. There is a shallow root system and is easily transplanted.
Spotted growing in a shady pine and fir forest in the Cascade foothills.
This shrub is an important food source for a number of animals, including bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, and grizzly bears. Livestock such as cattle and sheep readily browse it. Many birds and small mammals use it for food and cover. Pocket gophers dig burrows underneath it during the winter. Native Americans used the plant as a medicine and a soap, and sometimes for food, and the wood was good for arrow shafts. In Russia, the berries are crushed in the hands and rubbed about for a soothing folk-remedy hand lotion. This shrub is used for erosion control in riparian areas, and it is planted in ecological restoration projects on disturbed sites such as abandoned mines.
Spotted on Apr 7, 2018
Submitted on Apr 14, 2018
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