Creeping Snowberry

Symphoricarpos mollis

shrubView on Calscape

Care

Sun

part shade

Water

low

Soil

Fast, Medium, Slow; Tolerates a variety of soils.

Size

1–2ft tall, 3–4ft wide

Bloom

Mar-Aug

Foliage

Deciduous

Deer

Resistant

Container

Friendly

Native Range

Coastal scrub and oak woodland of the Coast Ranges from Marin County to San Luis Obispo County, below 2000 ft elevation

Care Guide

Planting

Plant creeping snowberry in fall or winter in a spot with partial shade, though it tolerates everything from intense sun to constant shade. It's extremely flexible about soil - fast, medium, or slow drainage all work fine. Space plants according to your intended use; this deciduous shrub grows 1–2 feet tall and works well as a groundcover, bank stabilizer, or lawn alternative, so adjust spacing based on how quickly you want coverage.

After Planting

Water weekly for the first summer to establish the plant, then cut back to once monthly by late summer. Once established (typically by year two), stop irrigating entirely - this is a chaparral native that thrives on rainfall alone in the Bay Area. In winter, you can cut back the plant if needed; it's deciduous so it will naturally drop leaves and go dormant. The biggest mistake is continuing to water into the second year; creeping snowberry actually prefers dry conditions once established, and overwatering is far more likely to kill it than drought.

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Endangered & Threatened Species Supported

Sitka bumble beeBombus sitkensis

Sitka bumble bee, declining populations

CA: Threatened

Wildlife Supported