Common Name: Wolfberry

General Information

Symphoricarpos occidentalis is a stiffly erect, freely branching, deciduous shrub that can grow 30 - 150cm tall and commonly forms dense, low thickets[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. A very ornamental plant, it is often grown in gardens where it can be used as a hedge[].

Known Hazards

No report of toxicity has been seen for this species but the fruit of many if not all members of this genus contains saponins.
Although poisonous, saponins also have a range of medicinal applications and many saponin-rich plants are used in herbalism (particularly as emetics, expectorants and febrifuges) or as sources of raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry. Saponins are also found in a number of common foods, such as many beans.
Saponins have a quite bitter flavour and are in general poorly absorbed by the human body, so most pass through without harm. They can be removed by carefully leaching in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of raw foods that contain saponins.
Saponins are much more toxic to many cold-blooded creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish and make them easy to catch[].

Botanical References

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Range

Western and central N. America - British Columbia to Manitoba, south to Utah, New Mexico and Oklahoma

Habitat

Bluffs, dry prairies and plains[], mainly in the Rockies[]. Forms dense colonies along ditches, streams, and floodplains; and in moist, open, grassy swales on mesas and plains[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees, Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Symphoricarpos occidentalis occurs in continental-type climates characterized by extreme temperature ranges and light to moderate precipitation - it can tolerate temperatures down to about -40°c[, ]. It is adapted to survive moderate drought conditions[]
Tolerates most soils and conditions, including poor soils and amongst the roots and under the drip of trees[, ]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a well-drained soil[]. Does well in sun or shade[]. Tolerates urban pollution and maritime exposure[]. The plant occurs in the wild on most soil textures except for loose sands. On floodplains where it occurs, alluvial soils are generally fine textured, composed primarily of silt with moderate quantities of clay and fine sand. It may also occur on infertile sand or rocky substrates, rich loams, or compact clays. It can tolerate "imperfectly" drained soils and considerable flooding but is intolerant of prolonged flooding or permanent high water tables. It is common on mildly alkaline to slightly acidic soils[]
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Spreading by rhizomes, plants can form large colonies in the wild with some f these recorded to be 200 metres or more wide[].
The plant is fire-tolerant and resprouts from the base after fire. While the stems of western snowberry are sensitive to fire, the rhizomes and stem bases can survive fire due to their depth in the soil (2 - 35cm)[]

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. Insipid. They are best if cooked. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails[, ]. White when fully ripe, the fruits soon become discoloured and blackish[]. The white fruits are 6 - 9mm in diameter, approximately 2.5 - 3.5mm long, and 1.5 - 2.5mm wide[, ].
See the notes at top of page regarding possible toxicity.

Medicinal

An infusion of the leaves has been used as a wash for weak and inflamed eyes[].

An infusion of the root has been used to cleanse the afterbirth and aid in convalescence[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Very tolerant of trimming, it can be grown as a medium to tall hedge[].
The plant can successfully invade grasslands to the point where it shades out grasses, thereby facilitating the invasion of trees[]. It can be grown specifically as a pioneer to encourage natural regeneration of the forest[].
The plant produces an extensive rhizome/root system, making it an excellent soil binder for the prevention of erosion on banks and slopes[, ]. It is also a good species for restoring disturbed sites. If used to rehabilitate erosive sites, complete grazing exclusion may be necessary during establishment[]

Other Uses

The branches can be made into brooms[, ]. The stems are used to make arrow shafts[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months warm then 5 months cold stratification[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, 15 - 25cm long preferably with a heel, in a sheltered bed outdoors in winter. High percentage[, ].
Division of suckers in winter. They can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.