Ranch Elderberry vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Ranch Elderberry vs Bilberry

Sambucus canadensis Ranch

Vaccinium myrtillus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Ranch Elderberry
Bilberry

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.

American Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub known for its clusters of small black berries that ripen in mid-to-late summer. The berries are edible and have long been used for fresh eating, preserves, and baking. They provide food for birds and mammals, and their fragrant spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

American Black Currant’s foliage serves as a host plant for butterfly species such as the Green Comma and Gray Comma, and its dense branching offers cover for wildlife. The shrub has traditionally been planted in shelterbelts, riparian buffers, and restoration projects.

Ranch Elderberry Quick Facts

Bilberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: medium

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

Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses
Flowers: fragrant, white
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: black
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: american elderberry ranch, american ranch elderberry, ranch american elderberry
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry