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
- 240 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
1 active buyer on record purchasing this crop.
Price Trend Stable/Up
3-year price trend recorded as "stable".
Supply Below Demand
2 of 6 documented channels rate viability "strong". Sold into regional rather than national markets, fruit supply here generally trails that demand.
Multiple Buyer Channels
5 of 6 documented market channels rate viable or better (wholesale, direct_to_consumer, farmers_market, restaurant). Multiple independent routes to market.
Value-Added Potential
3 viable direct-market channels (direct_to_consumer, farmers_market, restaurant). Supports value-added and margin capture beyond wholesale.
Market Growth Projected
Specialty fruit segment; consumer demand for regionally grown specialty produce has been expanding.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Crop tolerates zones 3-9; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.
GDD Sufficient
Crop GDD minimum not recorded. Region accumulates 2500+ GDD (base 50F), sufficient for most temperate crops.
Precipitation Compatible
Crop needs ~40 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Crop needs 120 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.
Chill Hours Met
Perennial. Region's zone 5-6 winters deliver well over 1,000 chill hours, ample for temperate perennials.
Climate Trend Favorable
Crop spans 7 hardiness zones (3-9). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.
Fit by region
The farm matcher, run on each region's cited climate normals. Soil and site are not included here; add your own on the match page.
No limiting condition found. 6 criteria evaluated, 1 not yet researched; 80% cited.
No limiting condition found. 6 criteria evaluated, 1 not yet researched; 80% cited.
No limiting condition found. 6 criteria evaluated, 1 not yet researched; 80% cited.
Climate envelope & site
What the farm matcher compares your conditions against.
Climate envelope
- Hardiness zone
- 3–8
- Frost-free season
- 120+ days
- Heat (GDD base 50°F)
- not yet recorded
- Winter chill
- not yet recorded
- Rainfall
- 23.6–157.5 in/yr
Below the minimum, irrigation is needed; above the maximum the crop fails.
- Soil pH target
- 5.5–6.5
Extension lime target; within 1.0 of it is correctable.
Site & structure
- Spring frost at bloom
- moderate sensitivity
- Needs cold-air drainage
- yes — avoid frost pockets
- Shade tolerance
- partial
- Mature height
- 12 ft
- Rooting depth
- not yet recorded
- Wind exposure tolerance
- low
- Workable slope
- not yet recorded
Height, rooting depth and shade tolerance are the inputs an alley or guild layout needs.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
2 of 11 documented equipment items are crop-specific (18%) against a catalog median of 29%. Most needs are met by general row-crop or orchard equipment.
Storage Available
2 documented storage routes; at least one (Fresh refrigerated (pre-processing holding)) is reachable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.
Irrigation Compatible
Requires ~40 in. High water demand — may exceed typical farm irrigation capacity.
Field Layout Suitable
Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.
Labor Availability
650 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Labor-intensive — competes for scarce seasonal labor.
Processing Proximity
1 processor/cooperative buyer on record for this crop.
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.
Storage Requirements
Fresh refrigerated (pre-processing holding)
Temperature
35–40°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
3 days
Frozen (destemming + long-term holding)
Temperature
-20–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Financial Return
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue $15,000/ac vs catalog median $6,000/ac. Above median.
Input Costs Acceptable
Annual operating cost $8,000/ac vs catalog 75th percentile $6,300/ac. Above the top quartile.
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 3 years. Acceptable payback.
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance recorded for this crop; risk sits with the grower.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Net return per labor hour $6.15 ($4,000/ac over 650 hr/ac) vs catalog median $13.16. Below median.
Grants/Subsidies
Fruit crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
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 Profile
Manageable Pest/Disease
2 of 10 documented risks are high-severity (20%) against a catalog median of 36%. Risk load is manageable by conventional IPM.
Market Diversified
5 viable market channels of 6 documented, plus 1 named buyer. Not dependent on a single outlet.
Low Establishment Risk
3 years to full production at $3,500/ac establishment cost. Multi-year capital commitment before first full return.
Climate Resilient
Tolerates zones 3-9 (7 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.
Regulatory Burden Low
No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.
Diversifies Portfolio
Adds a fruit revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.
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
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 73 kcal | 1,887,398 kcal |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 17,064 g |
| Total fat | 0.5 g | 12,927 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18.4 g | 475,728 g |
| Fiber | 7 g | 180,983 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
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
Cultivars
Named varieties and what the sources say sets each apart. A cultivar-specific zone, chill or maturity figure overrides the species value above.
Grows With / Avoid Near
Documented interactions with other catalog crops — shared pests, allelopathy, rotation effects, alley and understory pairings — for companion, guild and rotation planning. Plan a combination with Elderberry →
Avoid near, or plan around (5)
Grows with (1)
Direction matters: a rotation benefit of A before B says nothing about B before A. Interactions are documented pairs only; absence is a research gap, not a clean bill.
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 · Basis: lake erie
78 tracked changes across 11 data categories