Common Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- sam-BOO-kus kan-ah-DEN-sis
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
American Elderberry is a native thicket-forming shrub that can be found in all areas of NC along streams, marshes, moist forests and disturbed areas. It may grow 9 to 12 feet tall, is somewhat woody and has an arching spreading form. The compound leaves are attractive and in summer, small white flowers are borne in dense clusters. Flowers are followed by a purple-black drupe that is produced in drooping clusters in late summer to fall.
The American elderberry tolerates a wide variety of wet to dry soils but prefers rich, moist, slightly acid soil in sun to partial shade. Use this plant in naturalized areas, as a hedge, or along streams and ponds. It can also be used for erosion control in moist sites.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: This plant has no serious insect or disease problems. It has some susceptibility to canker, powdery mildew, leaf spot, borers, spider mites, and aphids. Its branches are susceptible to damage from high winds or from heavy snow/ice in winter. Plants will spread by root suckers.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Aurea'
- 'Rubra'
- 'Aurea'
- 'Aurea', 'Rubra'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aurea'
- 'Rubra'
- 'Aurea'
- 'Aurea', 'Rubra'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sambucus
- Species:
- canadensis
- Family:
- Adoxaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The twigs and fruit have been used to create dyes for basketry. Stems used to make flutes and whistles.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America, Venezuela and Brazil
- Distribution:
- USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , HI , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV , WY Canada: MB , NB , NS , PE , QC
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Butterflies and other insects are attracted to the blooms. Its fruits are eaten by mammals and many species of songbirds. It makes an excellent nesting site for birds and provides cover for quail and pheasants. Deer browse the leaves, twigs and fruit.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to heat, drought, and soil compaction.
- Edibility:
- Cooked berries are edible and can be used in pies, pancakes, and jellies; flowers and fruits used in winemaking, marmalade, yogurt, and desserts.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 9 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Multi-stemmed
- Open
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Clusters of round, edible, purplish-black drupes display from June to August. Each berry is 1/4 inch across, contains 3-5 seeds and is borne in large drooping clusters.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Many 1/4 inch fragrant creamy-white flowers appear in 4-10-inch flat-topped to rounded clusters from April to July. Blooms on second-year wood.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Bright green compound leaves with 4-6 pairs of opposite leaflets and 1 terminal leaflet. They are oval to lance-shaped and up to 6" long and 21/2" wide, with finely serrated margins. They are abruptly narrowed at the tip with a broadly wedge-shaped base. Fall color is yellow-green.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark of older woody stems is light grayish brown and warty in appearance from scattered short lenticels
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Young woody branches are light grayish brown with scattered lenticels. Young shoots are light green.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Erosion
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
