Based on this thread I purchased Adams, York and Nova. Thanks.
1 Like
Probably not, Black Lace is a good companion. These are not that productive of elderberries anyway. I have mine for looks, although I have other nigra’s it can cross with.
Ok. Thanks.
I purchased Adams and York elderberries. The labels disappeared, and I have one left- not sure which one. Anyhow, it fruited for the first time this past summer, but the berries were very small. Much smaller than the OPs pics. My question is, will the berries get bigger, the older the bush is? They were so tiny it was a pain to pick them off the bush. Wild berries in the area were bigger.
Katie… are you confusing the ‘honeyberry’ photos for elderberries?
They’re typically BB size, in my experience
Does anyone have a fast way to separate the berries from the stems? I use a fork but it’s very tedious. I’ve tried freezing them then separating but it wasn’t any easier. Also, my wild elderberries were SWD magnets last year 
I use a hair comb. They cost about a dollar…
Katie, mine are Adams and York. Last years fruit was smaller than this year. Seems it matters how long you can leave them on the bush as well. I’m not having the bird problem I had last year for some reason and all the berries have gotten much larger. This is the 3 Rd. Crop I’ve gotten from them…
My Elderberries from Nourse Farms have established very well. This is a nursery bed, I need to move them to a permanent location. They seem low and spread out, I’m not sure if I should be pruning or not. If anyone can recommend some care and maintenance reading I would appreciate it. These seem to really have taken off, no fertilizer provided per Nourse’s recommendations for first year. I had blooms on two of them mid summer. There are 5 Samdal and 1 Samyl for polination.
5 Likes
Nice! I use to forage for elderberries from a park and got tons. Made jelly and syrup. However I noticed that when processing they always give off a super sticky greenish goo that is really hard to clean up. Do you have the same problem? I’m wondering if it’s specific to elderberries or not.
2 Likes
The green goo is easy to clean off with vegetable oil and a paper towel.
1 Like
they will mostly grow like that the 1st. season. id let them get established for a few years, then prune out the lanky, sprawling canes. keep them mulched well as grass heavily competes with them.
2 Likes
Yeah I know, but it’s still kinda gross haha 
1 Like
That helps, thanks Steve.
2 Likes
Adding to this thread a few newer cultivars -
Pocahontas - Pocahontas originated in Pocahontas, Arkansas U.S.A. by collector Mr. Rocky Starns. Although it blooms slightly later than other elderberry genotypes, it yields large flower and berry cymes. I studied on this one and after the plant was found the owners cut it down… it is just being released now.
Wyldewood- Wyldewood was originally collected from the wild by Mr. Jack Millican near Eufaula, Oklahoma U.S.A in 1995. Blooming occurs in June transitioning to a reliable and prolific fruit set in
late July. Secondary cymes often form from axils below the main cyme, a characteristic that increases bearing potential of each shoot. shattering.
Bob Gordon- Bob Gordon is a benchmark American elderberry cultivar. An orchardist named Bob Gordon near Osceola, Missouri U.S.A introduced this selection in September 1999. The dark purple berries of Bob Gordon are preferred for their uniform ripening, resistance to shattering and good quality fruit and juice.
There are lots of more cultivars that i didnt list but i cant grow them all just yet… these all seem exciting to grow… to me.
Thanks for the info on those varieties. It is interesting that almost all elder varieties are selected from the wild. I wonder if there are any university research and breeding programs going on to created improved varieties.
I grow York, Nova and one I selected from a group of seedlings I got from the Missouri conservation seedling program. The Missouri one is actually as productive and has bigger berries some years than the others. That note on Bob Gordon about uniform ripening though is very inticing. Some years the ripening can be fairly delayed in some of the berries in a cluster.
@zendog yeah there are alot of varieties… Ranch is another one i am gonna get…it was found on a ranch somewhere and they traced it back to the 1800s… it survives harsh everything… and wants to be treated bad from what i gather… Marge is another that was a recent find… so yes they all seem to be mostly wild finds by people… Who knows what is going to be found next.
There is another im gonna get i think called Goodbarn… was found near a farmers barn and its good…lol.
I have no idea on the university stuff… but from the looks of it mother nature is way ahead of them…
Theoretically from the plants that you grow there could be a seedling nearby that is better than all of them… i guess thats how it works.
1 Like