Monrovia : Learn

Blooms light pink in summer followed by an abundant crop of large white fruit beginning in fall, becoming especially showy on the otherwise bare stems in winter.  Plant where fruit can be enjoyed from indoors. Cut, fruiting stems last two weeks in floral arrangements. Perfect plant for spicing up northern native plant landscapes and wild garden woodlands. Deciduous.  Moderate growing 4 ft. tall and wide.  Full to partial sun.

Performance and Requirements

Light needs: Full to partial sun

Watering Needs: Needs regular watering - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.

Pruning Time: Early spring

Growth Rate: Moderate Growing

Growth Habit: Arching

Design Information

Companion Plants

ARNOLD PROMISE WITCH HAZEL
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold Promise'

AURORA^® DOGWOOD
Cornus x 'Rutban' P.P.# 7205

AUTUMN BRILLIANCE^® APPLE SERVICEBERRY
Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance' Pl.Pat.No.5717

BLUE FORTUNE ANISE HYSSOP
Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

BUNCHBERRY
Cornus canadensis

FROSTY^® POTENTILLA
Potentilla fruticosa 'Monsidh' P.P.# 10987

BRIGITTA MIDSEASON BLUEBERRY
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Brigitta' (Northern Highbush)

DWARF NIKKO DEUTZIA
Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko'

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Companion Plants (Description): Snowberry works well with other northern natives in wild or tame garden settings. Pair with Apple Serviceberry, Witch Hazel, American Cranberrybush, Hyssop, Bunchberry and Potentilla. Offset the beautiful blush berries with fall colored foliage plants like Dogwood, Northern Highbush Blueberry and Deutzia.

Design Styles: Native, Snowberries are essential to North American wild landscapes because they naturalize so well. A superbly beautiful addition to wildlife habitat gardens as a late season food source for many species. Improved color and form has boosted them into high status in traditional shrub borders for late season interest. Plant as a low informal hedge or arrange in irregular groupings. A fresh new candidate for foundation planting. Add to any garden for a ready supply of colorful cut berry sprays for autumn decorating.

Care Information

Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear to shape in early spring.

Background Information

History: Symphoricarpos are native to North America and were first improved by the breeding work of G.A. Doorenbos in the 1940's.  The native habitat runs from Nova Scotia to Alberta, south to Minnesota and Virginia and in the western North America from Southwestern Alaska to Southern California.  Snowberry is a member of the Honeysuckle family and got its name from the inside of the fruit which looks like snow when broken open.  Charming Fantasy came to Monrovia from a breeding program in the Netherlands where it is prized in the cut flower industry.  Virtually all Native American tribes within its range used this plant as a medicinal for treating a wide variety of illnesses from upset stomach to eye inflammation. It is warned that ingestion of the berries could cause mild illness and is not advised.

Botanical Pronunciation: sim-for-ee-KAR-poss

Catalog Description: Blooms light pink in summer followed by an abundant crop of large white fruit beginning in fall, becoming especially showy on the otherwise bare stems in winter.  Plant where fruit can be enjoyed from indoors. Cut, fruiting stems last two weeks in floral arrangements. Perfect plant for spicing up northern native plant landscapes and wild garden woodlands. Deciduous.  Moderate growing 4 ft. tall and wide.  Full to partial sun.