PEPKIYOS (*), otherwise known as Snowberry, is Indigenous to the Pacific Northwest, grows to be about 3-6 feet tall and wide, and is commonly found from low to mid elevations. Its leaves are small, ovate, and attach as opposite pairs on branches. PEPKIYOS flowers are small, pale pink, and bell-shaped. Its fruit is white and fleshy. The plant blooms from May to August, and its fruit ripens in the fall and lasts through the winter.
PEPKIYOS plants create thickets that provide a rich habitat for birds and small mammals. The flowers attract pollinators such as song birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Songbirds and bears are known to eat the winter berries. Mice and rabbits eat the stems, and elk and deer eat the leaves.
PEPKIYOS contains compounds that can be toxic when eaten raw or in too large a dose. However, many parts of the plant can be used medicinally. PEPKIYOS fruits contain Saponin, a naturally soapy substance with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects on the skin. Fresh berries were traditionally crushed and rubbed on skin to heal rashes, burns, and sores. PEPKIYOS roots and stems were used in tea to fight fevers, colds, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, and stomach ailments. The Saponin in the berries also makes them useful as a soap.
I’ve put together a list of my research sources and encourage anyone interested to explore the links. Furthermore, next time you see a PEPKIYOS bush on a local trail, I encourage you to try crunching a berry under your foot — so satisfying!
- https://freshroots.ca/product/common-snowberry/#:~:text=First%20Nations%20uses%3A%20The%20berries,tea%20to%20treat%20stomach%20ailments.
- https://www.whiterabbitinstituteofhealing.com/herbs/snowberry/
- https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/common-snowberry.htm#:~:text=Snowberry%20fruits%20contain%20saponin%2C%20a,berries%20to%20clean%20their%20hair
- https://nativeplantspnw.com/common-snowberry-symphoricarpos-albus/
- https://versicolor.ca/nswfsOLDsite/glossary/leavesOutline.html
- https://nativeplantspnw.com/common-snowberry-symphoricarpos-albus/
- https://camosun.ca/about/sustainability/operations/land-and-habitat/natsamaht-indigenous-plant-garden/native-plants#a-g
(*) PEPKIYOS is SENĆOŦEN, a dialect spoken by the Coast Salish peoples.