Meadowsweet vs Bob Gordon Elderberry - TreeTime.ca

Meadowsweet vs Bob Gordon Elderberry

Filipendula ulmaria

Sambucus canadensis Bob Gordon

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Meadowsweet
Bob Gordon 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.

Bob Gordon Elderberry is a Black Elderberry cultivar that produces berries that are larger and sweeter than other varieties, making it one of the top cultivars. It produces large clusters of white flowers that turn into large clusters of dark purple to black berries. The berries are well-suited for baked goods, jams, jellies, and syrups. It was selected from the wild in Missouri.

The large berry clusters that the Bob Gordon Elderberry produces will often end up hanging downward. This makes it more difficult for birds to feed on the berries. If birds are a concern, this might be the right berry for you.

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 Ranch 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

Bob Gordon Elderberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 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: high


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: bob gordon american elderberry, bob gordon black elderberry