Meadowsweet vs Ranch Elderberry - TreeTime.ca

Meadowsweet vs Ranch Elderberry

Filipendula ulmaria

Sambucus canadensis Ranch

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Meadowsweet
Ranch Elderberry

Meadowsweet gets its name from its sweet fragrance from the creamy white flowers. It is a large upright herbaceous perennial shrub. They bloom in early summer, and with the right conditions may remain throughout the season.

Take care of where you’re planting Meadowsweet as it is known to spread.

Ranch Elderberry is a vigorous and high-yielding Black Elderberry cultivar. It ripens earlier than other varieties and is smaller and more compact making berry harvest easier. The berries are well-suited for baked goods, jams, jellies, and syrups. They are high in vitamin C and reported to be beneficial for the immune system.

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 Black Elderberry or Bob Gordon Elderberry.

Warning: the seeds, stems, leaves, roots, and uncooked berries are toxic to humans when eaten in quantity. Berries should be cooked to make them safe for human consumption.

Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Ranch Elderberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium


Toxicity: leaves, stems, and uncooked berries are poisonous to humans
Flowers: white
Flowers: fragrant, white
Berries: black
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: bride wort, mead wort
Other Names: american elderberry ranch, american ranch elderberry, ranch american elderberry