Symphoricarpos mollis Nutt.

A low, trailing and straggling plant. Shoots usually with dense, soft, short curved hairs; older bark fibrous. Leaves oval to orbicular, 10–40 × 7–30 mm, rounded to truncate at the base and blunt-tipped; upper surface finely velvety and lower surface prominently reticulate and densely velvety especially under the veins; petiole 1–3 mm, densely pubescent. Flowers April–May, paired or clustered in the upper leaf-axils; bracts and bracteoles oval to lanceolate, pubescent; calyx-lobes 0.5–0.8 mm, deltoid, obtuse, ciliate; corolla reddish, pink or whitish, 3–5 mm long, asymmetrical, broadly bell-shaped, glabrous outside; lobes obtuse, 2–3 mm, sparsely hairy inside, equalling the tube in length. Stamens nearly as long as the corolla-lobes; anthers as long as the free part of the filament; style glabrous, 2 mm, as long as the corolla-tube; fruit white, 4–6 mm wide; nutlets oval, smooth, 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm. (Jones 1940).

Distribution  Canada British Columbia, near southern coasts. United States California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, mostly near the coast.

Habitat Coastal chaparral habitats.

USDA Hardiness Zone 6

RHS Hardiness Rating H4

Conservation status Least concern (LC)