Western Snowberry Care

Western snowberry, or Symphoricarpos occidentalis Hook, is a plant native to much of the Central United States and Canada. It has quite a range, growing from Texas up into the arctic. It’s also sometimes called wolfberry, but this is not the same plant as the Chinese wolfberry, Lycium spp., that's often sold as goji berries. Western snowberry has grayish-green leaves and white flowers that turn into berries. The plant provides food for plenty of wildlife but can be mildly toxic if eaten by humans.

Potting loam
Pruning clippers

Instructions

- 1
  Break up any packed soil around the plant and add potting loam or another amendment if possible. The USDA Forest Service notes western snowberry planted in potting loam can grow to more than four times the height of snowberry planted in “poor” soil, and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service notes “clayey” soils are less than ideal. The resulting soil, whatever you use, should be well-drained but not arid.
- 2
  Give the plant enough water to match your area's normal rainfall for the year. If the year's rainfall is greater than or equal to normal levels, it will be enough for the plant. If there’s a drought, provide enough to match the minimum normal level for your region. The Natural Resources Conservation Service notes western snowberry needs anywhere from 12 to 45 inches of water annually.
- 3
  Prune the western snowberry plant in early spring. Cutting back the branches will allow new growth to appear without having to compete with older growth for nutrients.

Get Mileage Out of Your Hybrid ... Plants

How to Propagate Clover

Outdoor Growing