Red Elderberry vs White Meadowsweet - TreeTime.ca

Red Elderberry vs White Meadowsweet

Sambucus racemosa

Spiraea alba

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Red Elderberry
White Meadowsweet

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: Unfortunately this difficult to grow species is not currently scheduled to grow at TreeTime.ca. Perhaps try purchasing seed from SeedTime.ca and growing your own? Or sign up for a restock notification above.

White Meadowsweet is a woody, deciduous shrub that begins to bloom in early summer with small white and pink flowers. Its foliage turns from a light green into an attractive golden-yellow later in the fall.

The White Meadowsweet, also known as Mead-Wort or Bride-Wort, is favored by birds and butterflies but is largely ignored by deer. They produce small brown berries in the summer, and while they are technically edible, they are not sweet and are more desired by wildlife.

Red Elderberry Quick Facts

White Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: golden yellow
Berries: bright red berries
Flowers: white
Flowers: white, small
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: high



Toxicity: toxic to humans

Other Names: red elder
Other Names: mead wort, meadowsweet, narrowleaf meadowsweet, pale bridewort, pipestem