York Elderberry

York is the elderberry selected for size. Sambucus canadensis 'York' carries the largest fruit clusters of the common named varieties, which is what you want if the plan is jam, syrup, or wine rather than ornament. It grows 6 to 12 feet tall and wide in full sun to part shade, hardy from Zone 3 through Zone 9, and fruits within two or three seasons.

Broad flat clusters of creamy white flowers open in early summer, up to a foot across, and are worth picking in their own right for cordial and fritters. Dark purple berries follow in late summer, hanging heavily enough to bend the branches.

Elderberries need a partner. York is not reliably self-fertile, so plant a second variety such as Adams or Nova 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 without complaint. Birds compete hard for the fruit, so net it if you want a harvest. Deer will browse it.