Symphoricarpos (albus)

Mark E. Majerus USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center 99 South River Road, Rte. 2, Box 1189 Bridger, Montana 59014-9718 (406) 662-3579 (406) 662-3428 (fax) mmajerus@mt.nrcs.usda.gov http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mtpmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Caprifoliaceae
Family Common Name:	Honeysuckle
Scientific Name:	Symphoricarpos albus (L.) Blake
Common Name:	Common snowberry
Species Code:	SYMALB
Ecotype:	Numerous GlacierNational Park seed sources as well as western Montana and Wyoming ecotypes.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Bareroot (field grown)
Stock Type:	2+0 or 3+0 bareroot
Time To Grow:	2 Years
Propagule Collection:	Most tested seed sources are prolific and consistent seed producers under cultivation. Rooted stem cuttings from mature phase tissue will begin producing small amounts of seed the second year after rooting. In year 2000, 53, 4-year-old snowberry plants propagated from rooted cuttings produced 385 lb of fruit that cleaned to 14.11 lb of seed (89% tetrazolium viability). Despite reports to the contrary, deer will strip nearly all fruit from each snowberry plant in the late fall/early winter even in mild, open years. We fence our snowberry orchard to prevent seed losses and plant damage. Fruit maturation varies from year to year and occurs in Bridger, Montana from mid-October to mid-November. The pulp of fully ripe fruit is nearly pure white or clear -- not green. Snowberry fruit is persistent, and can be left on the plant until most fruit are white. Avoid waiting so long that the fruit turns dark brown and soft, as collection and storage are difficult in this condition. Harvest berry laden plants by stripping each branch by hand (wear gloves). Harvested leaves are removed by spreading the fruit and leaves in the back of a pickup and driving down the road. An air compressor or strong wind can be used to remove leaves from small lots. Firm, white berries store well for several weeks in woven, nylon sacks. Avoid overfilling an individual sack, the weight may cause leakage and molding. Store berries in a 34 to 37øF cooler at 80+% relative humidity. Storage under these conditions will sometimes soften the fruit skin and improve processing.
Propagule Processing:	Macerate snowberry ina DybvigT cleaner. A light-gauge welded wire screen inserted in the base of the cylinder may help maceration. After depulping, rinse the seed repeatedly in a bucket to clean and float off debris and light seed. Spread the seed on kraft paper in a warm dry location for 24 hours. Package in a paper envelope or finely woven cotton sack and store in a cool, dry place such as a basement.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Snowberry requires a warm, moist stratification of 45 to 90 days followed by 5 to 6 months of cold moist chilling. For field production, sow mid-summer to meet warm moist stratification requirement. Fall sowing usually results in germination the second spring.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Rototill the seedbed to break up clods and level the site. Soil moisture needs to be such that rototilling leaves behind a fine, fluffy seedbed. Lightly firm the seedbed with a roller or packer prior to sowing if the soil surface is too soft. Sow 25 to 50 seeds per linear foot to a depth of 0.25 to 0.5 inches. We maintain a 4-ft wide bed (5-ft between beds), and plant 3 to 4 rows of seeds per bed depending on production interval. We cover our seeds with excelsior mat to maintain soil moisture and minimize animal predation. We fall sow fresh snowberry in October or November. Some germination may occur the following spring, but usually occurs the second spring after sowing. This response supports reports that a warm moist stratification of 45 to 90 days followed by a 4- to 5-month cold moist chilling is needed to break dormancy.
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	We harvest 2-0 or 3-0 bareroot plants as soon as the ground thaws in early spring. A "U" blade mounted to a 3-point system on the back of a tractor is used. Beds are undercut in two directions (lengthwise) prior to using the blade to lift the plants. Bundles of 10 to 25 plantsare tied together, trimmed to a uniform size, then the roots packed in moist sphagnum or peat moss wrapped in plastic. The plants are stored in a walk-in cooler maintained at 34 to 37øF and 80+% relative humidity until needed and then shipped in heavy wax coated boxes as priority ground mail early in the week.
Length of Storage:	Fully dormant bareroot plants store well for several weeks at 34 to 37øF and 80+% relative humidity.
Other Comments:	Germination success has been variable by seed source and lot.

Citation:

Scianna, Joe. 2003. Propagation protocol for production of Bareroot (field grown) Symphoricarpos albus (L.) Blake plants 2+0 or 3+0 bareroot; USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center Bridger, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/11/21). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.