Johns Elderberry Plants
Begins shipping early September.
Zones 3-9
Pollinator required to bear fruit
Keep your elderberry harvest going!
Johns ripens approximately two weeks later than Adams, so plan accordingly. Elderberries are somewhat naturally pest-resistant (including to Japanese beetles) because of their poisonous, stems, leaves and roots. It’s an easy plant to maintain and will add significant beauty to your landscape, especially when planted in groups of three or more. Lacy white edible flowers appear in the spring, followed by tender, almost-black berries near the end of summer. Use in jelly or jam, pie, syrup or dry the flowers for use in tea. Cold-hardy. Ripens in mid-August. Pollinator required: Choose any other elderberry variety.
Characteristics
| Bloom Color | White |
| Ripens/Harvest | Mid August |
| Fruit Color | Purple |
| Taste | Sweet |
| Texture | Firm, juicy |
| Soil Composition | Loamy |
| Soil Moisture | Well Drained |
| Soil pH | 5.5-6.5 |
| Shade Level | Partial Shade – Full Sun |
| Years to Bear | 2-3 |
| Hardiness Zone Range | 3-9 |
Size & Spacing
Pollination
This variety requires another one for adequate pollination.
Cross-pollination by a different variety is key to its growing and bearing success. Plant a different variety within 15 meters (50 feet) for best pollination.
How do I find my Hardiness Zone?
Canada’s Plant Hardiness Zones will tell you which plants will do well in your particular climate. Each zone is determined by the lowest average winter temperature recorded in a given area. Hardiness Zone information is included on all tree and plant product pages, so you know instantly whether a certain plant is likely to succeed where you live. Natural Resources Canada provides helpful options to find your zone:
Brian Hagan –
Very happy with this elderberry. Got it last year and it took off. We just follow the instruction and wow! This year looking forward to harvesting the berries and making elderberry syrup.
Rachel Clute –
Healthy and vibrant plant, very pleased. Produced a couple clusters the first year, although pollination wasn’t great we did get a handful of berries.
Wayne Lemcke –
Both elderberry plants arrived safely and were planted and took off rapidly, nice green healthy leaves and impressive new growth, went into winter strong and have emerged this spring budding profusely, planning on ordering more!
Janet Norgaard –
These elderberries are wonderful. We used to gather wild elderberries from roadsides and although they made good jam they are so small compared to those we purchased from you. We recommend them to anyone who is interested in good elderberries.
JOHN SHINABERGER –
We planted according to directions and the results have been good. There was a minor setback when we discovered the deer, or maybe a rabbit, enjoys the leaves but after a quick response with a barrier the bushes recovered and continued to grow. There is elderberry jelly in our future!
James Hall –
Some berries in 2017, but not enough to fool with. Left them for the bugs and birds. 2018 was another story however. Bushes had grown to between 5 and 8 feet tall and were literally covered with blooms and then berries. Harvested first berries (3.5 pounds) from bushes on 7/15/2018, primarily from the Johns bushes. Started harvesting every 3 to 5 days thereafter. To date (8/16/2018), I have harvested a total of 54 pounds of elderberries from these bushes and they are still producing. Berries were weighed before processing – no stems nor trash included in weighed figures. I have given away 20 pounds of the berries and made jelly from the rest. I originally thought 6 bushes wouldn’t be sufficient to supply our needs, but I quickly realized that was a foolish notion. I figure that with the success that I have had anyone should be able to duplicate these results. Thanks to Stark Brothers for the plants and helpful info on their web pages.
HOWARD MORLEY –
Just a great buy. It is green and flowering. Super pleased with them all
Laura Vandorsten –
My elderberry plants managed to live through one of the worst winters here in NJ. Healthy and thriving!
Martha Beller –
I planted these two elderberry shrubs in a garden area that get sunlight in the p.m. only and they are both doing well. This area is a special habitat for flying pollinators.
D N –
I am a herbal medicine maker and elderberrs make a wonder syrup combined with cloves and ginger.