Red Elderberry vs Redwing Highbush Cranberry - TreeTime.ca

Red Elderberry vs Redwing Highbush Cranberry

Viburnum trilobum JN Select

Sambucus racemosa

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Redwing Highbush Cranberry
Red Elderberry

The Redwing Highbush Cranberry is a dense multi-stemmed shrub that blooms with white pinwheel shaped flowers in spring. It produces small, red, and edible berries in late summer. Its leaves are green, but the tips become more saturated with red throughout the season, and then turn a stunning crimson colour in the fall.

The Redwing Highbush Cranberry makes a good addition to any urban garden or hedge, and its berries are commonly used to liven up preserves with their tart flavor.

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.

Redwing Highbush Cranberry Quick Facts

Red Elderberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: none


Toxicity: toxic to humans
Foliage: red tips on leaves
Fall colour: red/orange
Flowers: white, pinwheel shaped
Flowers: white
Berries: small, red
Berries: bright red berries
Flavor: sour
Harvest: late August-February
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