Flora of Skyrim, Volume I: The Humble Snowberry

by Froa Giantborn

While it is often considered a weed in the northern reaches of Tamriel due to it’s pervasive nature, I would argue that the snowberry is integral to the ecosystem of Skyrim. All most citizens see of the bushy plant is red berries and the rather unattractive stalks, but an alchemist, such as myself, can more deeply appreciate the plant. Snowberries, when mixed into potions, can offer resistance to any type of magicka. It is the only herb in all Skyrim, and all of Tamriel to my knowledge, that holds these properties. This may explain why it grows everywhere, especially in the colder regions of Skyrim.

Since the berry imbues resistance to fire, shock, and frost, one can assume that the plant itself is very resistant to these elements. This inference is confirmed by the flora and fauna that share these effects. For example, almost every ingredient with the alchemical property to resist frost comes from a species that thrives in the cold, such as frost mirriam, or the hawks of Haafingar. So if the snowberry is resistant to fire, it can obviously grow well in the relative heat of Falkreath, but it’s cold-affinity is what makes it truly special. Very few herbaceous plants are able to grow in the snow, so the snowberry has no competition in the north. Thus, the snowberry completely dominates the snowy landscape in the way the versatile juniper coats the Reach.

The berry spreads it’s seeds mainly through the excrement of those who eat it, including deer, elk, skeevers, and even men. Once the seeds have contacted the ground, it is nigh on impossible to get rid of the plant. Each seed can take root in as soon as a week, and grow to full size in two years. After this, each plant will produce fruit, further spreading the seeds. Trying to eliminate snowberries from an area is pointless once they have reached it. As previously stated, the plant is resistant to all elements of magicka, and the brittle stems make it incredibly difficult to pull the plant by the root. If one attempts to cut it down, they will find it has grown back within months. This means anyone who wishes it gone will find themselves dissatisfied, and such the snowberry has come to be known as a weed.

When used for cooking, the snowberry is not as common as one might think. This is mainly due to the stigma of it being a weed, and a nasty rumor that they are poisonous. While they are related to waxberry (a highly poisonous plant that grows throughout High Rock), the various species of snowberry in Skyrim are perfectly safe to eat. It is used in only two common dishes: lavender dumplings and snowberry crostata. These are delicious (crostata is my favorite dessert), but aren’t very popular, and offer little information about the berry. The snowberry isn’t very flavorful, relying on butter or lavender for the majority of the flavor. The berry is useful in creating a creamy texture if mashed, however, most chefs leave the berries whole. This gives each slice a sensation of bursting flavor inside your mouth, as each berry bitten sprays butter and juice all over the taste buds.

In conclusion, the snowberry is a quite common plant for a reason, and in my opinion, this is fortunate. It is incredibly handy in alchemy, underappreciated in cooking, and easy to grow. Coming up next in The Flora of Skyrim: The Wily Juniper.