Nova Elderberry Plant

Nova Elderberry is one of the most versatile and wildlife-friendly fruiting shrubs you can add to the edible landscape. Native to North America and fast-growing, it produces wide clusters of creamy white flowers in spring and bountiful bunches of large, deep purple berries in early August — one of the earliest-ripening elderberry varieties available. Whether you’re harvesting for the kitchen, supporting pollinators, or simply adding four-season beauty to your yard, Nova delivers on every front.

Two Harvests in One: Elderflowers and Elderberries

Nova gives you two distinct opportunities to harvest each season. In spring, the wide, fragrant clusters of creamy white flowers are themselves a prized ingredient — beautiful in bouquets, and famously delicious when dipped in batter and fried into elderflower fritters. If left on the bush, those same flower clusters develop into heavy bunches of large, sweet, deep purple berries by early August, perfect for jams, jellies, pies, wines, and homemade elderberry syrup.

Important: Elderberries must be cooked before consumption. Fresh, raw elderberries can be toxic. Always properly prepare berries before eating or using in recipes.

A Native Plant That Gives Back to the Garden

As a North American native, Nova is deeply connected to the local ecology. Its spring flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects in abundance, while the berry clusters that follow provide food for songbirds and wildlife through late summer and fall. Planting Nova isn’t just adding a productive shrub — it’s enriching the entire ecosystem of your yard.

Why Growers Love Nova

• One of the earliest-ripening elderberries — ready in early August ahead of York and many others
• Edible flowers and fruit — elderflower harvest in spring, elderberries in August
• Large, sweet, deep purple berries — excellent for jams, jellies, pies, wines, and syrups
• North American native — supports bees, hummingbirds, songbirds, and beneficial insects
• Fast-growing and cold hardy — establishes quickly in Zones 4–8
• Tolerates partial shade — productive even without full sun