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Red Elderberry vs Black Elderberry
Sambucus racemosa
Sambucus canadensis
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.
Black Elderberry is a deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. You can plant this shrub in moist areas and it will help stabilize your soil. You can also use it on rural properties anywhere you'd use a lilac.
Black Elderberries are considered to be partially self-pollinating. So while they will still produce some berries without cross-pollination, planting with another variety will increase yields. Consider planting with Ranch Elderberry or Bob Gordon Elderberry.
Warning: the seeds, stems, leaves, roots, and uncooked berries of the Black Elderberry are poisonous to humans when eaten in quantity. You should cook the berries to make them safe for human consumption.