Red Elderberry vs Flowering Raspberry - TreeTime.ca

Red Elderberry vs Flowering Raspberry

Rubus odoratus

Sambucus racemosa

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Flowering Raspberry
Red Elderberry

The Flowering Raspberry is an ornamental shrubby plant that blooms with fragrant light purple flowers throughout the summer and has a large, decorative foliage of bright green leaves. The flowers resemble that of a wildrose, and the foliage turns a bright yellow in the fall. This cultivar produces small red raspberries, similar to that of a thimbleberry, but the fruit is mostly tasteless.

The Flowering Raspberry, also known as Virginia Raspberry or Purple-Flowered Raspberry, makes a great hedge plant and is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard.

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.

Flowering Raspberry Quick Facts

Red Elderberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


Toxicity: toxic to humans
Bark: thornless orange
Flowers: purple
Flowers: white
Berries: red to purple, seedy
Berries: bright red berries
Firmness: firm
Flavor: tasteless
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, PE
Other Names: purple-flowered raspberry, virginia raspberry
Other Names: red elder