Black Elderberry vs Creeping Oregon Grape - TreeTime.ca

Black Elderberry vs Creeping Oregon Grape

Mahonia repens

Sambucus canadensis

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Creeping Oregon Grape
Black Elderberry

Creeping Oregon Grape is an excellent ground cover plant with attractive, dark green, holly-like leaves. It maintains its leaves throughout winter, which turn mauve, rose, and rust-colored. Clusters of bright, yellow flowers develop into dark, blue-purple edible berries ideal for juice or wine.

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.

Creeping Oregon Grape Quick Facts

Black Elderberry Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: leaves, stems, and uncooked berries are poisonous to humans
Fall colour: purple and bronze
Bark: gray brownish with rigid bumps
Flowers: yellow
Flowers: fragrant, white and showy
Fruit: large blue/purple
Berries: black
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Other Names: ash barberry, creeping barberry, creeping holly grape, creeping mahonia, creeping oregon-grape, creeping western barberry, holly grape, mountain holly, oregon barberry
Other Names: american black elderberry, american elderberry, canada elderberry, common elderberry