This shrub is another introduction from North America which has escaped very successfully into the wild in the UK. The insignificant pink flowers of spring and summer give way to prominent and persistent white fruits often covering the bush.

Symphoricarpos albus is found all over England, Wales, the south Scotland and Ireland and has a distribution typical of many successful native plants. In Edition 3 of New Flora of the British Isles Stace suggests it is rarely self sown in which case how does it spread so far just by suckering? I have it as a weed in my garden and it appear will away from the original plants - it is surely bird sown.

LHS: Flowers in Valley Forge Woods 11th June 2005 RHS: Fruits at roadside Winster, Cumbria 22nd October 2005

Added on December 4th 2005, updated 12th February 2012