Red Elderberry vs Common Blueberry - TreeTime.ca

Red Elderberry vs Common Blueberry

Sambucus racemosa

Vaccinium myrtilloides

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Red Elderberry
Common Blueberry

Red Elderberry is an attractive, medium-sized deciduous shrub.

It produces clusters of white flowers in the spring and bright red berry-like drupes, which provide beautiful contrast against its coarse, textured green foliage.

Red Elder can be pruned as a small single or multi-stemmed tree.

Common Blueberry is an August maturing berry that is wonderfully flavorful and contain more antioxidants by volume than the highbush varieties.
They'll give your baked goods a wonderful pop of flavor.

It isn't as large, pretty, or high yielding as the other varieties we carry. But Common Blueberry is one of the only blueberries that will survive in plant hardiness zones 1A to 2B.

Note: Blueberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0.

Red Elderberry Quick Facts

Common Blueberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1a
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none

Toxicity: toxic to humans

Fall colour: yellow, orange, and red
Flowers: white
Flowers: white
Berries: bright red berries
Berries: blue
Firmness: medium
Flavor: tart
Harvest: late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, PE
Other Names: red elder
Other Names: canadian blueberry, sourtop blueberry, velvetleaf blueberry, velvetleaf huckleberry