Red Elderberry Seeds - Heirloom Seeds, Sambucus Racemosa, Fruit Seeds, Open Pollinated, Non-GMO

The Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that is native to the area. It produces highly fragrant creamy white flowers in the spring, followed by bright red bunches of berries that provide food for many bird species. With its attractive foliage and long flowering and fruiting period, it is an excellent choice as an edible border or accent shrub. The Red Elderberry prefers moist, well-drained, and slightly acidic soils.

It is important to note that Red Elderberries should not be eaten raw and must be cooked or tinctured to remove any potential toxicity. They are great for making elderberry juice, tea, jam, and ice cream.

To grow Red Elderberry, one can either direct sow outdoors in prepared soil in the fall or start indoors. If starting indoors, seeds should be soaked for 24 hours before sowing and require stratification - warm/moist stratification for 90 days at 68 degrees, followed by cold/moist treatment for 90 days at 39 degrees (refrigerator temperature). Sow seeds 1/4" deep in pots with 3-4 seeds each or seed trays filled with rich potting soil and place in a warm sunny area or under lights. Germination will be slow, and seedlings should be kept well-watered and transplanted to their permanent location when several inches tall, after the last frost. The seedlings typically grow 7-19" in their first year and should be kept well-watered and weed-free.