Western Snowberry vs Northern Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Western Snowberry vs Northern Black Currant

Ribes hudsonianum

Symphoricarpos occidentalis

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Northern Black Currant
Western Snowberry

Northern Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub found across Canada and the northern United States. Dark purple to black berries that ripen in summer and provide food for wildlife and humans. Fragrant yellow-green flowers that attract a wide variety of pollinators.
This shrub is well adapted to moist soils and can even survive periods of flooding. It has an interesting bronze colour in fall.

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.

Northern Black Currant Quick Facts

Western Snowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.9 m (3 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, wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to prostrate, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - low, layering - low
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: berries are toxic to humans
Flowers: small white, in clusters
Flowers: pinkish white
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Berries: black, edible
Berries: small, white, poisonous to humans
Flavor: bitter
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, YT, NT
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, NT
Other Names: hudson bay currant, stinking currant, western black currant, wild black currant
Other Names: buckbrush, wolfberry