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Red Elderberry vs Western Snowberry
Sambucus racemosa
Symphoricarpos occidentalis
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
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.
Note: This species is currently unavailable. Grow your own using Red Elderberry seeds at SeedTime.ca.
Like the Common Snowberry, the Western Snowberry is a small shrub with pink flowers useful for feeding livestock and preventing erosion. Unlike the common species, however, the Western Snowberry is much more suited to wet conditions, capable of persevering through poor soil drainage and occasional flooding.
After the Snowberry's flowers have bloomed, it produces berries which often last on the plant through winter. These berries are toxic to humans, but livestock and local wildlife love them! Those hoping to attract wildlife to their property can plant Snowberry and expect to see animals foraging on it much later in the year than other plants.