Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Sambucus pubens
- Sambucus racemosa var. pubens
- Phonetic Spelling
- sam-BYOO-kus ray-see-MO-suh PEW-benz
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Red Elderberry is a deciduous, native shrub found in spruce-fir and northern hardwood forests and rocky environments at high elevations in the mountains, though sometimes descending in our area (mainly in VA and northward) to elevations as low as 75 m. It has an upright, vase-shaped form. As for wildlife, it attracts birds and wildlife with its berries and butterflies and other insects with its flowers. It can be weedy, spreading by root suckers that can use pruning in the late winter to keep localized; otherwise, it will naturalize and continue to spread.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Dissecta'
- 'Dissecta'
- 'Dissecta'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Dissecta'
- 'Dissecta'
- 'Dissecta'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sambucus
- Species:
- racemosa
- Family:
- Viburnaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- USA, North Carolina, native to Europe and Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruit attracts birds and wildlife, flowers attract butterflies and other insects.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Edible, but very tart; usually cooked
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- 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 Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Red fruits display from June to August. They have a tart flavor.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Dome
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Creamy white elongated panicle of flowers bloom from April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Pinnatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Lustrous dark green, compound with 5 to 7 leaflets, toothed on the margin.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Soft wood and a large, brown pith.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Weedy
