Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

Growing, gathering, and weaving with plant fibers from the Pacific Northwest

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Snowberries in Winter

January 1, 2012 By Melinda

snowberries, image by Leslie NewmanCommon Snowberry (symphoricarpos albus), is one of the more delightful yet under-appreciated native plants of the Pacific Northwest. As the leaves drop off this deciduous perennial shrub in the late fall, the snow-white berries are revealed, bobbing near the tips of the wispy stems.  But this berry is  for show only, do not eat!  There is likely a reason it’s has been called ‘corpse berry’.  I’ve used fresh twigs in ribbed basketry before. For small items it works great for making hoops and ribs.  A hedge of snowberry seems always to be a favorite forging and resting spot for small birds.

Filed Under: Plants and Places Tagged With: beautiful, not a food source, Snowberry, starvation food only, winter

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About Melinda

Thirty years ago, while sitting on the beach playing with my young children, I made my first basket out of a pile of willow trimmings someone had tossed there. The experience of weaving with the materials at hand while being together with my sons on a beautiful Pacific Northwest shoreline, kindled a passion for creating art from natural plant materials. I thank my family, my community, and all my teachers for cultivating this gift in me.
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