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Sambucus canadensis 'York' Elderberry

Elderberry flowers

Blossom color: White, large clusters
Bloom time: June
Fruit: Clusters of dark-blue fruit
Size: 10' to 12' tall and wide
Shape: Upright shrub
Uses: Accent plant, shrub border. hedge or naturalistic planting. Attracts birds.
Hardiness: Zones 3-9
Native: to eastern North America

Elderberry hedge

Birds attracted to fruit on Elderberries: Over 120 species, including:

Elderberry fruit

Sorry, sold out. Available again in January 2014 for spring delivery!

York Elderberry is a large plant that produces the largest size and quantity of fruit of all the Elderberries. Be sure to give it lots of room if planted in rich garden soil. It will stay smaller when placed in wildlife plantings where it may have to compete with grasses and other plants. The fruit is used for juices, jellies, jams and pies. It is very high in Vitamin C and often used in cold remedies. Adams Elderberry is wonderful planted in an orchard, as a hedge or shrub border, and in naturalized plantings. Fruit production is increased when planted with 'Adams' Elderberry. Very winter hardy to Zone 3.

What you'll receive: 2-year, field-grown plants with 12 to 18-inch long stems and shipped bareroot (no soil or pot) and dormant (no foliage). Learn more about our plants.

Shipping: $0-$75=$12.00, $75.01-$125=$15, $125.01-$200=$20, >$200=10% of total. Shipped UPS Ground in spring from early April through mid May.

[Catalog #FS16]

About Elderberries: Elderberries are hardy, native shrubs that have great ornamental and fruiting value. They produce beautiful, large, white flower heads in the spring that are followed by large clusters of blue-black berries in late summer. They are relished by birds and are an important food source for fruit-eating birds like Robins and Cedar Waxwings. At least 120 species of bird eat the fruits of Elderberries! The berries also make great jelly, jam, pie, juice, syrup or wine. Elderberries fruit more heavily when you plant two different varieties close together, such as Adams and York. They do well in sun or part shade and prefer moist, well-drained soil. They are easily pruned to shape.

Elderbery fruit makes incredible juice and jellies that have wonderful flavor and are very high in Vitamin C. One of our customers refers to the juice as "the nectar of the gods." We agree.

How to Grow

Grows in full sun to part shade in moist, garden soil. Space 4 to 5-feet apart. Prune in late winter to desired shape and size. To control size, you can cut them back to the ground each year, as they bloom on new and old wood.

What's a "bareroot" plant?

Photo of bareroot plant"Bareroot" is a term that describes how a plant is shipped to you. A bareroot plant is not in a pot, and is usually dormant (not actively growing). See the photo to the right that shows what a bareroot rose looks like. The bareroot plants that we ship to you were harvested in the fall and placed in cold storage over the winter to keep them dormant. In the spring, we ship the bareroot plants to our customers, from early April through mid May.

Bareroot plants are easy to grow. We include planting instructions with your order. When you receive your plant, take it out of the packing material and place it in a bucket of water so that the roots are completely covered. Let the roots soak for 4 to 24 hours, then plant it in your garden. Full planting instructions with photos are available on our planting shrubs page.

This page was last updated April 27, 2013

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