ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Black Lace ® elderberry ( Sambucus nigra ) . picture by Proven Winners .
Elton John may sing about “ feel o.k. on elderberry wine , ” but the bush that tolerate that intoxicating yield propose many other attribute that gardeners can sense good about .
You may have seen elderberries ladened with clusters of drear purple berries grow in the natural state along wayside , woodland and streambanks , but never consider farm them yourself . “ Unfortunately , few mass think of the elderberry as an ornamental shrub that would bring beauty to their place , ” says Sandy Helsel , of the Herb Society of America . “ Today there are numerous cultivars with attractive foliage in green , near black , or yellow and flowers in white , pink , or gold . All can be attractive additions to the garden . ”
In addition to their ornamental timber , they are a valuable contributor to the ecosystem . Providing solid food and shelter for many metal money of songbird and ambrosia for pollinating dirt ball , elderberries can turn over any garden into a beautiful wildlife chancel .
On this page : The Basics|Types|Planting and Growing|Pruning Tips|Pictures|Garden Uses
THE BASICS
Botanical name:
Sambucus
Plant Type:
Deciduous bush , although many people refer to them as elderberry Tree .
Hardiness:
zone 4 - 9 , depending on the coinage . May survive in colder realm with auspices .
Exposure:
Partial to full sun
Bloom time:
leaping and summertime
Height:
From 2 feet all the way up to 20 invertebrate foot , depending on the sort .
Average lifespan:
25 to 50 days
What’s edible:
The blossom and berries have been used for centuries for both culinary and medicative purposes . The antioxidant - jam berries usually ripen in late summer , between mid - August and mid - September , and can be used to make pie , jams , jelly and wine , and the flowers are often tot to cordial and tea ( see this recipefor an elderflower amiable ) .
Toxicity:
Unripe or raw Berry and all other function of the plant are toxic , let in the farewell , stems , seeds and roots .
TYPES
Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis):
Also called “ American black elderberry ” , this woodland species is native from eastern and central Canada to the southerly U.S. It turn to a height of 8 to 12 feet and has large straight - top off clusters of blanched flowers that emerge in richness in midsummer , adopt by violet - black fruit in late summer and other drop . It circularise by suckers and can be a vigorous grower , so it ’s well suit for naturalizing or mass plantings . Zones : 3 - 9
Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra):
Also called " European elderberry " , it is similar to the American variety but often marvellous ( up to 20 feet ) and has an early bloom season . The cultivars of this metal money have become popular garden plants , with many have smaller emergence habit , purple or variegated foliage , and double flowers . Zones : 4 - 8
Blue elderberry (Sambucus nigrassp.caerulea):
Sometimes classified as a tree diagram rather than a shrub , this eccentric grows to a height of up to 30 feet . aboriginal to western North America , from Oregon to Baja all the agency to western Texas , it thrives in a wide range of mood . Creamy white-livered flowers in the spring are followed by sullen bluish - purple berries in downslope . zona : 4 - 9 .
Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa):
A more cold - tolerant species often selected as an ornamental because of its attractive red berry and dense , wearing away - preventing radical system of rules . The fruit is less palatable than that of others , but is still very attractive to hiss . Grows 8 to 12 feet tall , with a broad , curve form . The fruit often cause belly upset in many multitude . zona : 3 - 7
Dwarf elderberry (Sambucus ebulus):
In gain to its shorter stature ( 2 feet improbable on ordinary ) , nanus elder disagree in one important way from others in that it forge very full-bodied underground rhizomes and can quickly grow large colonies . As a garden works , it is best suit for growing in expectant containers or in a location where it wo n’t become invasive . As with red elderberry , the yield of this type also causes stomach upset in many . Zones : 4 - 8 .
PLANTING AND GROWING
Where to plant:
develop in full sun in somewhat moist , humusy dirt . Although they will all tolerate part shade , yellow- and purple - leave diversity may not train optimum leaf coloration .
When to plant:
Fall or early bound
How to plant:
Before planting , ameliorate the soil with compost to improve drainage . Although they arise well in moist stain , it should n’t be waterlogged . Space plant 6 to 10 invertebrate foot asunder , depending on the ripe size , to allow near melodic line flow between them when to the full grown . Though many varieties are self - fruit , you may encourage gamey yields by planting another cultivar of the same metal money nearby ( within 50 to 60 feet ) to further cross pollination .
General care:
Keep them well watered , particularly the first year after planting , because of their shallow roots . To stimulate yield production , inseminate p.a. in early spring by applying a gritty fertiliser formulated for Tree and bush .
Propagating:
you may propagate from dormant hardwood cuttings need in late free fall or wintertime , from softwood cuttings ask in give or summer , or from root or rhizome thinning . Although they can be grown from seed , cultivated varieties may not stay true to type .
When to harvest:
harvest home flush in other spring and the Chuck Berry when they mature in late summertime or early downfall . Unripe berries are toxic and so are their fore , so be sure to murder them before cooking and processing the berries . Typically , they will begin producing yield two or three years after planting .
Pests:
by and large free of pests , which makes them great shrubs if you want to avoid the use of pesticide .
PRUNING TIPS
Photo by Krasula / Shutterstock
Pruning benefits:
Elderberries are very tolerant of pruning , and doing so on a regular basis not only keeps plant life dumb and more manageable , it can also result in a howling video display of vibrant leaf . Removing sr. branches will also result in better fruit production .
When to prune:
In late winter or former spring while the plant is dormant and before leaves get down to emerge . you’re able to also prune immediately after flowering if you do n’t want your plants to endure fruit .
How to prune:
They bear opposite bud , so prune straight across the arm , above the buds , using a sloping cut . The intention is to reduce the body structure down to a low framework and reinvigorate the plant . Also thin out some of the old , engorged wood from the nerve center as well as any drained or diseased branches . Regularly removing older branches advance the ontogeny of new ones that often produce larger , more vibrantly colored folio .
Removing suckers:
Many types spread by root sucker to form dependency . Prune the sucker as they appear , unless naturalizing is your goal .
ELDERBERRY PICTURES
Photo : Proven Winners
Black Lace ® elderberry — Buy now from Proven Winners(Sambucus nigra’Eva ' )
Zones:
4 - 7
6 to 8 feet
Bloom Time:
Early summer
This may be the most ornamental and is certainly the most exotic . With its finely cut non-white - purple leaves you might mistake it for a weeping Japanese Maple , until the monolithic 6 - in head of pinkish peak collapse open in summertime in dramatic contrast to the almost black foliation . In other dip , the blossom give style to abstruse Burgundy wine , almost bleak Chuck Berry . plant require full sun for the estimable foliage color .
Lemony Lace ® elderberry — Buy now from Proven Winners(Sambucus racemosa’SMNSRD4 ' )
3 - 7
3 to 5 feet
Early fountain
A unadulterated turnaround from the inky leaf of Black Lace ® , the lemon - yellow leaves of this show - stopper brighten the landscape painting like electron beam of foliar sunshine . come out in outpouring tinged in red , the leaves keep their hopeful color straight through the summer . In drop , dark red berries bask in the radiance of the vivacious foliation .
Instant Karma ® elderberry — bribe now from Proven Winners(Sambucus nigra’Sanivalk ' )
A variegated selection with blue - green foliage and creamy white margins . webbed clusters of bantam lily-white flowers cover the flora in former summer , and if a pollinator form is plant nearby , they will yield a harvest of purple - black yield in autumn .
photograph : Spring Meadow Nursery
Laced Up ® elderberry — Buy now from Proven victor
6 to 10 feet
If you bonk the look of popular Black Lace ® or Black Beauty ® elderberries but just do n’t have the elbow room , interlace Up ® has a columnar habit , taking up far less space . Feathery contraband leaf and pink summer flowers provide unmatched grain and gloss .
Photo : kpzfoto / Alamy Stock Photo
Golden elderberry(Sambucus canadensis’Aurea ' )
3 - 9
8 to 10 foot
June to July
The deep - yellow to yellow - immature leave of absence of ‘ Aurea ’ are not as finely cut as those of Lemony Lace ™ but they are every bit striking and look peculiarly vivacious when mature in partial shade . In spring , tiny star - regulate white flush borne in flat - topped clusters up to 10 inch across seem to effervesce against the bright leafage . As the summer come along , the berries ripen to a racy wine - cherry color .
York elderberry(Sambucus canadensis ' York ' )
May to June
Jam Maker wallow ! This American sr. cultivar produces the big fruit size and highest yields of any elderberry , making it the utter choice for stocking a pantry or sustaining the local bird population . Huge bunch of bantam white flowers in spring are creditworthy for the bounty of dark purplish berry that appear in late summertime . For the best fruit product , pair it with another cultivar of the same species to boost cross pollination .
GARDEN USES
Elderberries make good choices for :
