Sambucus canadensis, American Elderberry, Shrub, Gallon Pot

Sambucus canadensis, American Elderberry, Shrub, Gallon pot

FS, Zone 4, moist, 10’ x 3-5’, medium wet to medium dry, deer and rabbit resistant.

American elders are native to eastern North America and the Midwest. It’s a deciduous, somewhat sprawling, suckering shrub that typically forms large 5-12' bushes on mostly sunny sites with medium-dry to medium-wet soils. Large clusters of fragrant white flowers attract pollinators June-July. Edible berries ripen to a deep red-purple. Elderberry forms large (to 10') bushes on mostly sunny sites with medium-dry to medium-wet soils. Large clusters of fragrant white flowers attract pollinators June-July. Elderberry forms large (to 10') bushes on mostly sunny sites with medium-dry to medium-wet soils.

Large clusters of fragrant white flowers attract pollinators from June to July. Birds and mammals relish eating the berries which ripen to a deep red-purple. Stems can die back but the new shoots that emerge from the root mass can be left if naturalizing or pruned to control growth. This plant can take a hard pruning in late winter to rejuvenate. It tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers moist conditions. Elderberry bushes, because of the nectar, pollen and berries that they make available to all kinds of animals, are a must in any wildlife garden.

Attracts birds, small mammals, woodpeckers. When the plant’s stems break or are bored into by insects, they provide nesting sites for small and medium-sized native bees.

The forth photo was taken at DA, October 2022. Hummingbird on an Elderberry. Birds love trees of all sizes.