Found a single red elderberry plant producing pure yellow berries, some slight red-pink blushing towards the bottom of some of the groups. They are ripe, yellow-clear juice, tending to fall apart in my hands… No red types on any of the plant - unless you count the blushing. I cut the red types surrounding this plant to remind me which one is the yellow type.
Would a yellow (red) elderberry have different chemicals than the red types? I am unsure what chemicals make up the red coloring in Sambucus racemosa. Could be tied to different flavors.
Sambucus racemosa is a huge plant, this could turn out to be a fun ornamental strain, or a new edible type. I collected some berries for seed, birds keep eating more of these daily.
If anyone is interested, I will only send seeds out - keep that in mind, I will try isolating the offspring a bit, culling reds. Seems unique, could just be fun to have.
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interesting. how do they taste? i have about a doz. red elderberry ringing my property. some say they are good for jams but ive left mine for the birds. a yellow one might be worth growing. i have a wild purple leafed chokecherry growing under my pines. new growth is green then turns to purple this time of year.
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I haven’t tried them yet(as a jam at least), I would try them if they were Sambucus canadensis. I usually leave the reds for birds as well.
I am now considering making two separate jams next year to compare the flavors. There aren’t enough yellows to make a jam this year anyway. Could be different next year if I eliminate the competing reds well enough. More space for it to grow outwards, send out new growth.
I tried both of them raw, the red tasted a bit better than the yellow - less astringent. Neither type was good though. Granted that was one of each type. Red elderberries are a bit toxic raw, I didn’t even swallow them as I do not wish to have an upset stomach. I could try doing a jam of both of them next year to see how that turns out.
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Sounds like you have something unique. I probably would try to root some cuttings when it’s dormant. (Seeds…don’t know, be an interesting trial.)
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I agree. It might be worth propagating to see if it’s a sport.
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