Snowberry

Snowberry: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Dense, upright to slightly arching shrub about 1.5 m tall and wide.

Leaves

Small, round to oval, 2–4 cm, opposite; pale green above, blue-green beneath.

Flowers

Small, bell-shaped, pink flowers in short spikes, from June to August.

Fruit

White to pink berries in clusters, from late summer, often hanging on into winter.

Roots

Can form suckers, with which it slowly spreads.

Flowering: June–August · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• White to pink berries that hang on for a long time and look good in a vase.
• Grows in sun and shade and tolerates drought, so ideal for awkward spots.
• Upright forms such as ‘White Hedge’ work as a low, informal hedge.
• Small flowers from June to August that bees visit.
• A dense shrub that gives birds cover, indestructible and undemanding.

Snowberry: where does it grow best?

• Sun, partial shade or shade; in sun the berry crop is heaviest.
• Ordinary garden soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Dry to normally moist; once rooted it tolerates drought well.
• Not fussy about wind; very useful in open or bare places.
• Allow 1–1.5 m of space per plant; 50–60 cm for a low hedge.

Light

Sun, partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Red-barked dogwood: The red stems in winter and the white berries make a lovely winter combination.
• Holly: Evergreen foliage and red berries beside the white ones, for winter colour.
• Hosta: Large leaves beside the small foliage, in the same shade.
• Japanese anemone: Flowers in September, just as the berries colour.

Snowberry: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or in October–November, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in a little compost.
3. Set the shrub at the same depth as it stood in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Keep 1–1.5 m apart, or 50–60 cm for a low hedge.
5. Water in well straight away, even if it is raining.
6. Spread a layer of compost or bark around the base.

Care

Water

Weekly in dry spells in the first year. After that it fends for itself, even in dry summers.

Feeding

Usually not needed; a spadeful of compost in spring is enough.

Mulching

A layer of bark or compost keeps the soil moist and suppresses weeds in the first years.

Suckers

Lift any unwanted suckers in spring.

Berries

Leave them on for winter, or cut stems for a vase before the first hard frost.

Tip: Cut stems with berries for a vase in autumn, before frost turns them brown. Use it in dry, shady or windy spots where other shrubs fail.

Snowberry: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: Late February to March, before the new shoots start.

How:

• Remove dead, weak and crossing stems right at the base.
• Shorten the stems by a third in March to keep it compact and dense.
• Every few years, take a few of the oldest stems to the ground; this keeps the shrub young.
• As a hedge: trim the sides in March and, if needed, once more in summer.

Caution: The berries are poisonous if eaten: keep them away from children and pets (dogs, cats). Do not leave cut stems with berries lying around.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Hardwood cuttings

In October–November: 20–25 cm lengths of firm, ripe wood pushed into open ground; they root during the following year.

Lifting suckers

In spring or autumn, lift a rooted piece from the edge and plant it elsewhere.

Softwood cuttings

In June–July: 8–10 cm cuttings from young shoots in moist cutting compost under plastic.

Snowberry: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, down to about −30 °C: in Belgium it never needs protection.
• The berries often hang on into winter and look lovely with frost on them; prune only in March.
• In a pot: wrap the pot in hessian and stand it in a sheltered spot so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry summers or in a dense shrub. Leave space, keep it airy and cut out affected shoots.
• Leaf spot: Brown spots on the leaves in damp weather. Clear fallen leaves and dead wood; the shrub usually recovers by itself.
• Suckers: Young shoots appear next to the shrub or in the lawn. Lift them in spring.
• Few berries: Too much shade or pruning too hard. Move it to a lighter spot and do not prune hard every year.

Through the year

• March: Prune: remove dead wood, shorten the rest by a third. Give compost.
• April: Plant or transplant. Apply mulch.
• May: Lift suckers. Water young plants.
• June: Flowering begins. Take softwood cuttings.
• July: Flowering. Water in dry weather.
• August: Flowering. The berries begin to form.
• September: White to pink berries. Cut stems for a vase.
• October: Plant. Take hardwood cuttings.
• November: Plant. Leave the berries in place.
• December: Dormant. The berries stay on the stems.

Edible and useful

Not edible. The white or pink berries of snowberry are mildly poisonous: a few cause vomiting and diarrhoea in children, and in pets too. Children love popping them, but they should not be eaten. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Birds

Berries, seeds or insects as food, or a place to nest.

Did you know?

• The shrub is named after the Dutch nurseryman Doorenbos, who raised this hybrid.
• ‘Mother of Pearl’ has white berries with a pink flush and is one of the best-known cultivars.
• The berries often hang on the stems far into winter, long after the leaves have fallen.