Description
An Easy Choice
Bob Gordon is a wild-selection made by Robert “Bob” Gordon, Charlotte Cooper, and Andrew Thomas near Osceola, Missouri in 1999. It became the 2nd improved cultivar of elderberry released by the University of Missouri in 2011.
It is a vigorous (7-8 feet tall) and highly productive elder that produces fruit on primocane (1st year ) wood with large cymes (fruit clusters) of plump berries and leads the industry for juice and wine production. It tends to bloom later than most other cultivars, making it less likely to be damaged by late Spring frosts and is a determinate-type, ripening all its fruit around the same time. The flowers are easily removed for using as dried products or flavoring and the fruits ripen uniformly in the cymes and are resistant to shattering.
Beyond having exceptional yields and fruit quality, Bob Gordon is a stand-alone cultivar because the fruits hang upside down, usually below the foliage, in a recumbent position. This unique characteristic provides a natural protection against birds and sun damage, resulting in cleaner, fuller harvests. It is also considered to be slightly sweeter than other elderberries, making it an easy choice for those wanting to make syrup, wine, jam or medicinal preparations.
*NOTE: Elderberries must be cooked before consumption. Consuming raw elderberries can be toxic. Please ensure all berries are properly prepared before use.
Key Features of Bob Gordon Elderberry
* Wild-selection by Robert “Bob” Gordon, Charlotte Cooper, and Andrew Thomas near Osceola, Missouri in 1999
* 2nd improved elderberry cultivar released by the University of Missouri in 2011
* Determinate (ripens fruit around the same time)
* Highly vigorous growth
* Produces on primocane (1st year wood)
* High production of plump, juicy & sweeter berries
* Preferred for wine, juice, syrup, jam and medicinal preparations
* Flower are easy to harvest
* Later blooming (Avoids late frosts)
* Fruits hang upside down, offering built-in protection against birds and sun damage
All elderberries are grown in pots and are shipped barerooted when dormant, similar to our mulberries and persimmons.
USDA Zones: 3-9
Spacing: 6-8’ apart
Growth Habit: Determinate; 6-8’ tall and 6-8’ wide; upright and open
Other Considerations: Elderberries require another cultivar (elderberry with a different name) of American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) or seedling for cross-pollination to ensure and increase good fruit yield. In warmer climates or longer growing seasons, some growers will mow or cut canes down to the ground once established as they will produce fruit on primocanes (the current season’s growth). Make sure to do your own research to see if this is a good practice for your planting.
