Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Native perennial shrub (Sambucus canadensis) suitable for Zones 3-9. Produces high yields of berries after 3-4 years with proper pruning and cross-pollination. Labor-intensive harvest but a relatively low-input crop.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Growing Season
- Plant
- Early spring – Early spring
- Harvest
- Late August to early September – Late August to early September
- Frost-free days
- 120+
Yield
- Typical yield
- 3 tons/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 30 years
- Years to full prod.
- 3
- Labor
- 650 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
Emerging crop with growing buyer network
Price Trend Stable/Up
Price trending upward due to growing demand
Supply Below Demand
Strong unmet demand regionally and nationally
Multiple Buyer Channels
Multiple market channels: wholesale, retail, processing, and/or direct
Value-Added Potential
Strong value-added potential through processing, direct sales, or specialty products
Market Growth Projected
Strong market growth projected
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Region's hardiness zone within crop range (3.0-9.0)
GDD Sufficient
GDD data not specified; crop is documented as viable at the regional hardiness zone
Precipitation Compatible
Regional precipitation (~40 in/yr) compatible with crop needs
Frost-Free Season OK
Frost-free season (160 days) meets crop requirement (120 days)
Chill Hours Met
Chill hour requirement N/A for this crop type or met by default
Climate Trend Favorable
Climate projections remain favorable for this crop in the region
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
Standard farm equipment compatible or easily adapted
Storage Available
Specialized or limited storage; perishable product needs immediate handling
Irrigation Compatible
Low water needs or rain-fed viable
Field Layout Suitable
Vineyard field layouts suitable for this crop
Labor Availability
Labor needs manageable with existing farm workforce
Processing Proximity
No nearby specialized processing; may need direct marketing or shipping
Equipment Requirements
planting
General-purpose tractor for site prep, mowing aisles, spraying, and harvest hauling. Cost shared across all small fruit operations.
For final bed preparation prior to planting. One-time use at establishment; can be rented if acreage is small.
PTO auger or pull-behind tree planter speeds establishment on 1+ acre plantings; hand-planting acceptable below half acre.
irrigation
Per-acre cost. In-line emitter tape on header lines down each row. Critical for consistent fruit fill on shallow-rooted elderberry.
cultivation
For aisle and within-row weed control. Rotary mower for aisles, string trimmer or shielded sprayer for within-row.
PTO bale-buster or shredder. Useful for applying 3-4 inches of within-row organic mulch annually. Hand application acceptable on small plantings.
spraying
Airblast preferred for full canopy coverage on mature plantings. Backpack or boom sprayer acceptable for plantings under ~1 acre.
harvesting
Per-acre cost for permanent overhead netting on posts and cables. Reduced-cost row covers acceptable but require deployment each season.
Elderberry is harvested by cutting whole clusters with hand pruners; 25-lb plastic lugs hold fresh-harvested fruit. Reusable.
post_harvest
Fresh elderberry has 1-2 day shelf life unrefrigerated; rapid cooling extends usable life and is essential before destemming or freezing.
Drum or vibrating-screen destemmer separates berries from cluster stems. Critical labor saver for processing-volume operations.
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue ($15,000/acre) exceeds regional average
Input Costs Acceptable
Annual operating costs ($8,000/acre) are high
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 3 years; acceptable payback
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance; NAP may be available for some disaster scenarios
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Revenue per labor hour ($23) is below average
Grants/Subsidies
Grant and subsidy programs available (Specialty Crop Block Grant, EQIP, Beginning Farmer, etc.)
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $3/$/lb destemmed |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $15,000 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $8,000/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $3,500/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $4,000 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA RMA, regional budget studies (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
Low pest/disease pressure; manageable with standard IPM
Market Diversified
Market access diversified across multiple channels
Low Establishment Risk
Low establishment risk; quick to establish or low upfront investment
Climate Resilient
Hardy and resilient to climate variability in the region
Regulatory Burden Low
Minimal regulatory burden for production and sale
Diversifies Portfolio
Diversifies farm revenue away from grape monoculture
Known Risks
disease
Vectored by dagger nematodes (Xiphinema spp.). Causes leaf mottling, stunted growth, reduced berry yield, and gradual decline of established bushes. Once established in a planting, no in-field cure exists.
Several fungi (Cytospora spp., Diaporthe spp., Botryosphaeria spp.) colonize wounded or winter-stressed canes, producing sunken lesions that girdle stems and kill fruiting wood. More prevalent on stressed or aging plantings.
Erysiphe spp. produce white powdery growth on upper leaf surfaces and shoots in warm, dry weather following humid mornings. Cosmetic on mature plants; can stunt first-year transplants.
Phytophthora spp. attack roots and crowns of plants in waterlogged or poorly drained soils. Symptoms include sudden wilt, dieback of individual canes, and bark sloughing at the soil line. Often fatal.
pest
Drosophila suzukii lays eggs in ripening berries; larvae hatch inside the fruit and cause collapse and fermentation within days of picking. Single most important pest for elderberry harvest quality.
Phytoptus / Eriophyes spp. feed inside developing buds, causing distorted "big bud" symptoms, blind nodes, and reduced flower cluster development. Damage shows up early-season as failed-to-leaf-out stems.
Songbirds, especially robins, catbirds, and waxwings, can strip ripe clusters within days of color development. Loss potential ranges 30-100% in unprotected commercial plantings near woodland edges.
weather
Elderberry breaks dormancy relatively early and emerging flower clusters are susceptible to freezing temperatures below ~28°F. A late frost can eliminate the primary fruiting cycle, though some cultivars rebloom on secondary growth.
Shallow fibrous root system makes elderberry sensitive to extended dry periods, especially during fruit fill. Stress reduces berry size and total cluster yield in the current year and can carry into reduced bud set for the following year.
market
Fresh elderberry has limited grocery-channel demand because of its tart, herbaceous flavor and short shelf life. Profitable commercial production typically relies on value-added markets (syrup, wine, juice, dried) or direct supply to processors.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Elderberry against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Biodiversity
- Bird and small mammal food and habitathigh
Ripe elderberry clusters are a primary late-summer food for more than 50 bird species; dense shrub form provides nesting habitat for songbirds. Often planted in conservation hedgerows for wildlife value.
Applies when: mature plantings with unsprayed marginsEvidence: Peer-reviewed·Confidence: high
Pollinator support
- Native bee and hoverfly foragemoderate
Elderberry flowers in dense umbel clusters provide a concentrated nectar and pollen resource for native bees, syrphid flies, and small wasps during early summer when forage availability often declines between spring tree bloom and mid-summer flowers.
Applies when: flowering and unmanaged margins retainedEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high
Erosion control
- Riparian and slope stabilizationmoderate
Spreading fibrous root system and dense suckering habit make elderberry effective for stabilizing streambanks and modest slopes. Frequently recommended for NRCS riparian buffer plantings.
Applies when: planted in riparian buffer or hedgerow contextEvidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high
Cultural / aesthetic
- Heritage and herbal medicinal valuemoderate
Long-standing place in Eastern North American and European herbal tradition for berries (syrup, jelly, wine) and flowers (tea, cordial). Supports agritourism, on-farm value-added, and ethnobotanical interest.
Applies when: farms with value-added or direct-market focusEvidence: Industry consensus·Confidence: medium
Climate adaptation
- Hedgerow microclimate moderationlow
Mature elderberry hedgerows function as low windbreaks, reducing wind speed at ground level and moderating soil moisture loss in adjacent annual crop strips. Modest but measurable microclimate effect.
Applies when: planted as hedgerow at 8-12 ft heightEvidence: Modeled estimate·Confidence: medium
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA resources, and regional research.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie
59 tracked changes across 9 data categories