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Re: [SHADEGARDENS] Symphoricarpos in the Shade

Cindy,

My parents, (Hadley, MA USDA zone 5), have planted on the north side of
their house Symphoricarpos albus, Common Snowberry.  The plants get little
if any direct sun, although they receive good indirect light, and fruit
quite heavily each year.  The plants are quite old and have been there for
at least 30 years, so I don't have any idea if they fruited heavily in
their youth or not, but I would suspect so as Snowberry is a rather quick
grower.  It does spread mostly from shoots arising from the roots, but I
wouldn't consider it to be invasive.  It is easily managed and a tough,
care-free plant.  The twiggy habit makes it great as cover for the birds,
but I've only seen Black-capped Chickadees and Cardinals actually eating
the fruits.  Hope this helps.

Tom Clark
Botanic Garden
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA  (USDA zone 5)


-----Original Message-----
From:   Cidjohnson [SMTP:Cidjohnson@AOL.COM]
Sent:   Monday, January 19, 1998 8:02 AM
To:     shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject:        [SHADEGARDENS] Symphorocarpus in the Shade

I put 3 of these plants in 2 summers ago, very small plants from
Mellinger's,
They're now much bigger but NO FLOWERS OR BERRIES!  They get a little
dappled
sun in afternoon.  Do you think they need more sun than that?  I also
noticed
they root wherever the branches hang down to the ground so they might
spread
out of the area I want them in. Can they get invasive?  I planted them
because
I heard they were good for the birds.  I also put in S. orbiculatus
(coralberry) for the same reason just last year.  Does it need same culture
as
snowberry? Behave same as snowberry?

Someone mentioned their preference for the native plants over the exotics.
 I
agree (with the exception of hostas, can't have too many of them IMHO) :-)

Thanks,
Cindy Johnson
White Bear Lake, MN
zone 4a
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