Elderberry

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering and fruiting are best in sun.

Water

Moderate; keep young plants evenly moist. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but grow best where the root zone does not dry out completely.

Soil

Moist, fertile, well-drained soil; tolerates clay, chalk and a broad pH range. Avoid persistently waterlogged ground.

Height

12-20 ft (3.7-6 m)

Spread

10-20 ft (3-6 m)

Flowers

Late spring to early summer; flat-topped clusters of small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers.

Foliage

Opposite leaves divided into usually five to seven toothed, dark-green leaflets; crushed leaves have a strong smell.

Growth

Fast

Care needed

Medium

• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two growing seasons.
• Apply a layer of compost in spring; additional fertiliser is usually unnecessary on fertile soil.
• Mulch the root zone annually, keeping mulch clear of the main stems.
• Remove unwanted suckers and seedlings before they establish.
• For more dependable fruit crops, plant a second, genetically different European elder nearby.
• Leave some flower clusters unpicked if you want berries later.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead, damaged and crossing stems, then cut up to one-third of the oldest stems to ground level. Hard annual pruning keeps plants compact but greatly reduces flowering and fruiting.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is moist and workable; water thoroughly and mulch.

Late winter

Thin older stems and remove dead or damaged growth before new leaves emerge.

Spring

Top-dress with compost, renew mulch and remove unwanted suckers.

Late spring to early summer

Pick some freshly opened flower heads for culinary use, leaving others for fruit and wildlife.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and check soft shoot tips for aphids.

Late summer to early autumn

Harvest only fully ripe, black berries; remove stalks and prepare and cook the fruit before eating.

Late autumn

Take hardwood cuttings from healthy shoots after leaf fall.

• Use in a mixed wildlife hedge with hawthorn, hazel and dog rose for flowers, fruit and nesting cover.
• Place at the back of a large cottage border, with hardy geraniums beneath its open canopy.
• Grow along a woodland edge to soften the transition between trees and open garden.
• Include in a roomy edible landscape for flowers and berries, with access around the shrub for picking.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Woodland, Wildlife garden, Native hedgerow, Edible landscape and Homestead.

Plant it with: Hawthorn, Hazel, Dog rose, Red-twig dogwood, Hardy geranium and Lady's mantle.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen for insects, and ripe berries feed many birds. Dense branching offers shelter and potential nesting sites; native wildlife value varies outside its European and western Asian range.

• Aphids can crowd young shoots: wash off small colonies with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
• Powdery mildew may coat leaves during dry conditions: water the root zone, mulch and thin congested stems to improve airflow.
• Leaf scorch and wilting occur in dry soil: water deeply and mulch rather than giving frequent shallow drinks.
• Suckers and bird-sown seedlings can spread beyond the planting: remove them promptly, including their roots where practical.

Leaves, bark, roots, stems and unripe berries contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses. Raw berries can also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea; larger exposures to toxic parts can cause serious poisoning. Use only correctly identified flowers and fully ripe berries for food, remove stalks, and prepare and cook berries properly. Seek medical or veterinary advice after suspected poisoning.

Where it spreads. Birds spread its seeds, and it can establish beyond gardens. It is an environmental weed in parts of south-eastern Australia, including Victoria and Tasmania, and is invasive in parts of New Zealand. Check local weed guidance before planting outside its native range.

• American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

  Very similar and sometimes classified as a subspecies of European elder. It usually forms a more strongly suckering shrub and often has seven to eleven leaflets, but these traits overlap;

• Dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus)

  A herbaceous perennial whose upright stems die back in winter, rather than a woody shrub. Its black fruit clusters generally remain upright; do not gather it for food.

• Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)

  Has more rounded or cone-shaped flower clusters and usually bright-red ripe berries, rather than the broad, flat flower heads and black berries of European elder.

The species name nigra is Latin for black, referring to the ripe berries.

Propagation. Take hardwood cuttings in late autumn or winter, or softwood cuttings in early summer. Seed-grown plants vary and may take longer to establish; use cuttings to preserve a named cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Sambucus nigra

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada, the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico. Introduced in Canada, Hawaii, the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Albania, Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Corse, Czechoslovakia, Denmark and East European Russia.

Measured

Soil pH 7 to 7.5. Average height 450 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.