Western Snowberry vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Western Snowberry vs Lewis Mock Orange

Symphoricarpos occidentalis

Philadelphus lewisii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Western Snowberry
Lewis Mock Orange

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.

Lewis Mock Orange is a flowering ornamental shrub that produces an abundance of white, fragrant blooms. The flowers have a sweet scent similar to orange blossoms, with a hint of pineapple. They bloom for several weeks from late spring to early summer, attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Native to North America, Lewis Mock Orange is found from the southernmost portions of Alberta and British Columbia, and south into the northwestern United States. It makes an attractive shrub and can be used in hedgerows, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects. Blooms occur on the previous year’s wood, so it is recommended to prune after it has finished flowering.

Western Snowberry Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: high

Toxicity: berries are toxic to humans

Flowers: pinkish white
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Berries: small, white, poisonous to humans
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, NT
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: buckbrush, wolfberry
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange