Bob Gordon Elderberry vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Bob Gordon Elderberry vs Bilberry

Sambucus canadensis Bob Gordon

Vaccinium myrtillus

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Bob Gordon Elderberry
Bilberry

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.

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.

Bob Gordon Elderberry Quick Facts

Bilberry Quick Facts

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

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: bob gordon american elderberry, bob gordon black elderberry
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry