Sambucus canadensis, American Elderberry, Shrub, Gallon pot, 3-6’ tall
FS, Zone 4, moist, 10’ x 3-5’, medium wet to medium dry, deer and rabbit resistant.
Keystone Species - It is the larval host plant for approximately 45 species of moths including cecropia and silk moths as well as the Spring Azure Butterfly. The shrub’s soft, pithy stems are a primary nesting site for native carpenter bees and other stem-nesting insects. Its dense, multi-stemmed growth also provides essential cover and nesting sites for Michigan songbirds like robins and catbirds. By spreading through underground rhizomes, it forms thickets that stabilize soil and prevent erosion along Michigan's streambanks and wetlands
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 later in the summer. 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.
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.
American Elderberry has been reclassified more than once. It was considered part of the Honeysuckle family and is now part of the Viburnum family.
Elderberry is a medicinal plant with many uses from the flowers and berries it produces. The plant and berries contains cyanogenic glycoside sambunigrin and is toxic to humans and animals. A prime reason it is not likely to be browsed by deer. Once the berries are cooked they no longer pose harm. The products made from the berres include cough syrup, jam and wine.
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 Carpenter and other native bees. This is because the inner portion is ery soft. Cut some stalks back in late summer to provide a nesting place for native bees.
American Elderberry is the Host plant for a number of cecropia and silk moths and the Spring Azure butterfly. At Detroit Abloom the Robins nest in our Elderberries and our hummingbirds like to perch on them.
DA Planting Note - Many natives are touted as great ‘wildlife’ plants because they support so many insects and creatures. However, as gardeners these are things we cannot always see. Perhaps the activity is not within our sight (too high) or it happens at night. American Elderberry visably supports so many birds, the blooms and berries are so showy, it happens right before your eyes.
Sambucus canadensis, American Elderberry, Shrub, Gallon pot, 3-6’ tall
FS, Zone 4, moist, 10’ x 3-5’, medium wet to medium dry, deer and rabbit resistant.
Keystone Species - It is the larval host plant for approximately 45 species of moths including cecropia and silk moths as well as the Spring Azure Butterfly. The shrub’s soft, pithy stems are a primary nesting site for native carpenter bees and other stem-nesting insects. Its dense, multi-stemmed growth also provides essential cover and nesting sites for Michigan songbirds like robins and catbirds. By spreading through underground rhizomes, it forms thickets that stabilize soil and prevent erosion along Michigan's streambanks and wetlands
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 later in the summer. 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.
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.
American Elderberry has been reclassified more than once. It was considered part of the Honeysuckle family and is now part of the Viburnum family.
Elderberry is a medicinal plant with many uses from the flowers and berries it produces. The plant and berries contains cyanogenic glycoside sambunigrin and is toxic to humans and animals. A prime reason it is not likely to be browsed by deer. Once the berries are cooked they no longer pose harm. The products made from the berres include cough syrup, jam and wine.
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 Carpenter and other native bees. This is because the inner portion is ery soft. Cut some stalks back in late summer to provide a nesting place for native bees.
American Elderberry is the Host plant for a number of cecropia and silk moths and the Spring Azure butterfly. At Detroit Abloom the Robins nest in our Elderberries and our hummingbirds like to perch on them.
DA Planting Note - Many natives are touted as great ‘wildlife’ plants because they support so many insects and creatures. However, as gardeners these are things we cannot always see. Perhaps the activity is not within our sight (too high) or it happens at night. American Elderberry visably supports so many birds, the blooms and berries are so showy, it happens right before your eyes.
