Ranch Elderberry vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Ranch Elderberry vs Lewis Mock Orange

Sambucus canadensis Ranch

Philadelphus lewisii

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Ranch Elderberry
Lewis Mock Orange

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.

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.

Ranch Elderberry Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
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

Flowers: fragrant, white
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Berries: black
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: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange