SNOWBERRY

any of about 18 species of low shrubs belonging to the genus Symphoricarpos of the family Caprifoliaceae. All are native to North America except for one species in central China. All have bell-shaped, pinkish or white flowers and two-seeded berries. The best-known ornamental species of Symphoricarpos snowberries are S. albus, a shrub, 1 m (3 feet) high, with delicate stems, oval leaves, and large, pulpy, white berries, and S. rivularis, slightly larger, with elliptical leaves, and a profusion of berries. The Chinese species, S. sinensis, has bluish black berries. Wolfberry (S. occidentalis), about 1.5 m tall, bears white berries. Indian currant, or coralberry (S. orbiculatus), more than 2 m tall, bears purplish berries. Creeping snowberry is a plant of the genus Gaultheria (family Ericaceae).