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 The Lycaeum Forums » Psychedelics & Non Visionary Related » Non Visionary Plants (Moderators: Papyrifera, Noman)Topic:
 Symphoricarpos albus (Common Snowberry)

[lq]

i remember reading in a book in a library that snowberries were poisonous, but that they were also used for making teas and for medicine. i can't seem to find any concoctions involving these, just general information. i would be interested to know if anyone else has any information about these attractive berries. i'll post the things i've gathered so far.



http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2009/08/symphoricarpus_albus_var_laevigatus.php

http://www.lycaeum.org/forum/index.php/topic,22403.msg222949.html#msg222949

Symphoricarpos albus; occidentalis (Caprifoliaceae) (Snowberry) – These species of small shrub are common in bushy areas and open woodlands in Canada and the northern USA. Both berries and the stems and leaves have been used medicinally by native americans. Snowberry fruits may be red or white, and contain several flavonoid glycosides. Leaves and roots contain the narcotic alkaloid chelidonine (found in numerous members of the poppy family), as well as numerous terpenoids, saponins, coumarins and tannins. Snowberry poisoning is somewhat common, especially among children, and resulting in vomitting and gastrointestinal irritation, dizziness, delerium, sedation, blood stained urine, coma and death depending on the amount eaten.

http://www.borealforest.org/shrubs/shrub50.htm

General - erect shrub, 0.5-1 m tall; often forms thickets from suckers; many branches, slender, with reddish brown, shreddy bark.

Leaves - opposite, thin, oval, usually 2-4 cm long, may be slightly lobed on young stems.

Flowers - in small, dense, clusters at branch tips (or in axils of upper leaves); pink to white, bell-shaped, 4-7 mm long, hairy within, stamens and non-hairy style do not protrude fromflower, appearing June to July.

Fruit - white, waxy, oval to round, berry-like drupes, about 6 mm long (sometimes to 12 mm), with 2 seeds; lasts hrough winter; inedible, considered poisonous by many.

Habitat - Open woods, thickets, and valley slopes; most abundant in dry habitats but also on moist sites; widespread cross southern boreal forest and parkland, north and west to southern N.W.T. and Alaska's panhandle.

http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=122&p_type=all&p_sci=comm&p_x=px

General poisoning notes:

Thin-leaved snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is a native shrub found throughout much of Canada in woods and open slopes. The plant is also used as an ornamental shrub in many areas. The white berries contain the isoquinoline alkaloid chelidonine, as well as other alkaloids. Ingesting the berries causes mild symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, and slight sedation in children. The risk of severe poisoning does not appear great because of vomiting that occurs after ingestion. Children should be discouraged from eating the attractive white fruit (Lewis 1979, Lampe and McCann 1985).

References:

Lampe, K. F., McCann, M. A. 1985. AMA Handbook of poisonous and injurious plants. American Medical Assoc. Chicago, Ill., USA. 432 pp.

Lewis, W. H. 1979. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos) poisoning in children. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 242: 2663.

Turner, N. J., Szczawinski, A. F. 1991. Common poisonous plants and mushrooms of North America. Timber Press, Portland, Oreg., USA. 311 pp.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Symphoricarpos albus (L.) Blake

Vernacular name(s): thin-leaved snowberry

Scientific family name: Caprifoliaceae

Vernacular family name: honeysuckle

Go to ITIS*ca for more taxonomic information on: http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/itisca/next?v_tsn=35332&p_ifx=cbif

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Quebec
Saskatchewan

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Image or illustration
thin-leaved snowberry:

Images: http://images.google.com/images?as_q=Symphoricarpos+albus&num=20&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&hl=&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgsz=&as_filetype=&imgc=&as_sitesearch=&imgsafe=active

Toxic parts:

mature fruit

References:

Lewis, W. H. 1979. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos) poisoning in children. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 242: 2663.
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

An isoquinoline alkaloid, chelidonine, was found in the fruits of thin-leaved snowberry. This chemical is also found in greater celandine (Chelidonium majus), an unrelated plant (Lewis 1979).

Toxic plant chemicals:

chelidonine

References:

Lewis, W. H. 1979. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos) poisoning in children. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 242: 2663.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
dizziness
vomiting

Notes on poisoning:

Children who ingested the attractive white fruits experienced vomiting, dizziness, and mild sedation. Blood-stained urine was also reported (Lewis 1979, Cooper and Johnson 1984).

References:

Lewis, W. H. 1979. Snowberry (Symphoricarpos) poisoning in children. J. Am. Med. Assoc., 242: 2663.

Turner, N. J., Szczawinski, A. F. 1991. Common poisonous plants and mushrooms of North America. Timber Press, Portland, Oreg., USA. 311 pp.

[Papyrifera]

From what I understand the berries particularly are pretty poisonous, I would not consider ingesting them. Death is unlikely but not impossible.

[lq]

some extra info that i've found


http://www.paghat.com/snowberry.html

[...]

The berries are terribly bitter & are not widely regarded as edible for humans; indeed, many are the claims that it is toxic. If eaten in quantity it can cause vomiting & diarrhea, but if only a few would eaten, according to folk-medicine practices of the Stl'atl'imx of British Columbia, snowberry settled rather than disturbed the stomach.

The alleged toxicity of snowberry would seem to be exaggerated, however, or else the toxins break down in preparation, for it was a traditional food resource for some Northwest First Peoples who ate them dried or preserved in bear grease, though it was never a first choice berry harvest.

Though coastal peoples knew them to be edible in a pinch, some inland native peoples felt a superstitious dread of their ghostly whiteness, which may explain the traditional belief of their great toxicity. They were called Corpse Berries & were believed to provide sustenance for the wandering dead.

[...]

Snowberry had several uses beyond being occasionally eaten. In Northwest longhouses, fires were built in the middle of the floor, without chimneys, & the smoke did not invariably go straight up to the smoke-hole. Therefore the Northwest's longhouse dwellers frequently had irritated lungs & eyes from the smoke. Snowberry leaves & fruit were mashed into a paste used as a soothing poltice for injured or runny eyes. The bark was used for a medicinal tea, in particular for lung infection & to ease the effects of tuberculousis. The waxy white berries additionally made a good soapy "Indian shampoo."

[Papyrifera]

What is your interest in this plant? Just something growing in your area?

From "Native American Ethnobotany" by Daniel E. Moerman:

Symphoricarpos albus:
Drug uses: Bella Coola - decoction of branches taken as a diuretic and for gonorrhea. Carrier, Southern - Juice of ripe berries used in sore eyes. Kwakiutil - Moxa of tips while still on plant used for headache. Ojibwa - Infusion of root taken to clear up afterbirth and hasten convalescense. Yuki - Infusion of plant used as a wash for sores.

Fiber uses: Yokia - Slender twigs bound together and used as brooms for sweeping.

Other uses: Hoh and Quileute - Used in ceremonies. Paiute and Shoshoni - Shoots used to make small bird arrows. Yokia - Medium-sized branches used to make first-rate arrows.

Symphoricarpos occidentalis:
Drug uses: Blackfoot - decoction of berries given to horses for water retention. Dakota - Infusion of leaves used as wash for weak or inflamed eyes. Meskwaki - infusion of root taken to cleanse the afterbirth and aid in convalescence. Omaha - Infusion of leaves used as wash for weak or inflamed eyes.

Food uses: Blackfoot - Starvation food, fruits eaten in times of scarcity. Sioux - Fruit used for food.

Fiber uses: Montana Indian - Shrubs made into brooms.

Other uses: Blackfoot - Green twigs used to make a fire to blacken the surface of newly made pipes  Lakota - Stems made into arrows to shoot at dogs in play  Montana Indian - Slender twigs used as arrow shafts.

Symphoricarpos sp.:
Drug uses: Chippewa - Decoction of root, a very strong remedy, taken as a physic.