Longflower Snowberry (Long-flower Snowberry)
Symphoricarpos longiflorus Family: Caprifoliaceae – Honeysuckle Family Symphoricarpos longiflorus is the only species from this family represented at Arches National Park. Shrubs; 1.65' to 3.3' (0.5 to 1 m) tall Leaves: opposite; simple; 0.24” to 1” (6 to 25 mm) long, 0.08” to 0.36” (2 to 9 mm) wide Flowers: 5 lobed salverform pink petals which flare open at the mouth; 5 lobed sepals; 4 or 5 stamens; flowers solitary or in pairs; 0.4” to 0.72” (10 to 18 mm) long Pollinators: other Symphoricarpos species are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds Fruits: 2 seeded white berry Blooms in Arches National Park: April, May, June Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub, pinyon-juniper, grassland and hanging garden communities Location seen: upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint Other: The genus name, “Symphoricarpos”, comes from the Greek “symphorein” meaning “borne together” and “karpos” meaning “fruit” referring to the closely clustered berries. The species name, “longiflorus”, means “long flower. |
Did You Know?
Edward Abbey worked as a seasonal park ranger at Arches in the late 1950s. His 1968 memoir of this experience, "Desert Solitaire," has become a classic of desert literature.