Red Elderberry vs Royalty Raspberry - TreeTime.ca

Red Elderberry vs Royalty Raspberry

Sambucus racemosa

Rubus x Royalty

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Red Elderberry
Royalty Raspberry

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.

Royalty Raspberry is a productive and delicious red-purple raspberry. It is a cross between a red raspberry and a black raspberry. Ripening in late August, the berries are ideal for homemade jams, preserves, and fresh eating.

If you are going for more of a classic red raspberry taste, pick the berries early. But if they are left on the cane until they are purple the taste will be sweeter.

Royalty Raspberry is a floricane-fruiting variety, meaning it primarily produces fruit on second-year canes (previous season’s new growth). They are also referred to as summer-bearing. In late winter or early spring, cut back all spent floricanes, leaving only last season's canes.

Raspberries are self-fertile, meaning they do not require cross-pollination from another variety to produce fruit.

This very popular extra large berried variety was developed at Cornell University.

Red Elderberry Quick Facts

Royalty Raspberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: high

Toxicity: toxic to humans

Flowers: white
Berries: bright red berries
Fruit size: 3.2g
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, PE
Other Names: red elder