Black Elderberry vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Black Elderberry vs Lewis Mock Orange

Sambucus canadensis

Philadelphus lewisii

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Black Elderberry
Lewis Mock Orange

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.

Lewis Mock Orange is a flowering ornamental shrub that produces an abundance of white, fragrant blooms. The flowers have a sweet scent similar to orange blossoms, with a hint of pineapple. They bloom for several weeks from late spring to early summer, attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Native to North America, Lewis Mock Orange is found from the southernmost portions of Alberta and British Columbia, and south into the northwestern United States. It makes an attractive shrub and can be used in hedgerows, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects. Blooms occur on the previous year’s wood, so it is recommended to prune after it has finished flowering.

Black Elderberry Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: leaves, stems, and uncooked berries are poisonous to humans

Bark: gray brownish with rigid bumps
Flowers: fragrant, white and showy
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Berries: black
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: american black elderberry, american elderberry, canada elderberry, common elderberry
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange