Western Snowberry vs Golden Currant - TreeTime.ca

Western Snowberry vs Golden Currant

Ribes aureum

Symphoricarpos occidentalis

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Golden Currant
Western Snowberry

Golden Currant produces berries for jams, jellies, sauces and even pemmican. This currant bush is very dense, allowing for use as a hedge, windbreak, or wildlife habitat.

This plant is also a very popular rootstock to graft popular red and white currant varieties to. The resulting plants are taller, more productive, and easier to harvest.

Like the Common Snowberry, the Western Snowberry is a small shrub with pink flowers useful for feeding livestock and preventing erosion. Unlike the common species, however, the Western Snowberry is much more suited to wet conditions, capable of persevering through poor soil drainage and occasional flooding.

After the Snowberry's flowers have bloomed, it produces berries which often last on the plant through winter. These berries are toxic to humans, but livestock and local wildlife love them! Those hoping to attract wildlife to their property can plant Snowberry and expect to see animals foraging on it much later in the year than other plants.

Golden Currant Quick Facts

Western Snowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 1a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high


Toxicity: berries are toxic to humans
Fall colour: reddish purple
Flowers: yellow
Flowers: pinkish white
Berries: glossy black berries
Berries: small, white, poisonous to humans
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, NT
Other Names: buffalo currant, clove currant, fragrant golden currant, golden flowering currant, spicebush
Other Names: buckbrush, wolfberry