Ranch Elderberry

Ranch stays 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, about half the size of a standard elderberry, and it ripens its whole crop at once rather than over several weeks. Sambucus canadensis 'Ranch' grows in full sun to part sun, hardy from Zone 3 through Zone 8. Broad flat clusters of creamy white flowers open in early summer, followed by dark purple berries in late summer. The compact size and concentrated ripening are what make this one practical if you actually intend to harvest. Elderberries need a partner. Ranch is not reliably self-fertile, so plant a second variety such as Wyldewood or York nearby for a full crop. The fruit must be cooked. Raw elderberries, along with the stems, leaves, and bark, contain compounds that cause nausea, and only the cooked ripe fruit and the flowers are safe to eat. Elderberry grows naturally along ditches and stream edges, so it takes wet ground and poor soil. Deer leave it alone.