Scientific Name:
Sambucus nigra
Pronunciation:
sam-BEW-kus NYE-gruh
Common Name:
elderberry, European elder
Family Name:
Viburnaceae
Plant Type:
Shrub - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves mostly with 5 coarsely serrated leaflets; flowers white to pinkish in corymbs; fruit a oval black drupe up to 6mm wide
Habit:
Arching, Spreading, Twiggy, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical, Vase
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
2 - 3m
Mature Spread:
2 - 3m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Africa, Europe, Garden origin
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun only if soil kept moist, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich, Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Attract birds, Medicinal plant, Mixed shrub border, Reclamation, Wildlife food, Woodland margin (Caution: poisonous parts)
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Compound Leaf:
Odd-pinnate, Leaflets stalked
Colour in Summer:
Bluish, Dark-green, Green-yellow, Purple, Dark-red, Nearly Black, 'Guincho Purple' has deep purple leaves
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Ovate
Apices:
Acuminate, Acute
Margins:
Serrate
Inflorescence Type:
Cyme, Floriferous, Corymb-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White (S. 'Eva' has pink stamens.)
Flower Scent:
Musky
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun, Jul
Fruit Type:
Drupe, Edible
Fruit Colour:
Blue, Black (dark blue)
Fruiting Time:
Jul, Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Showy, Edible, Fruit edible when fully ripe and make good jams (but other plant parts are not and may cause skin irritation)
Bark Morphology:
Prominent lenticels, Lightly fissured, Corky
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey
Propagation:
Seed, Greenwood cuttings, Hardwood cuttings
Pest Susceptibility:
(Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Deer resistant, Rabbit resistant)
Course(s):
- HORT 2355
- Level 3 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
- (NRY) NuRserY : cv. Eva
- (PPL) Pine PLanting : cv. Guincho Purple
- (WDH) Wark-Dumais House : 163 cv. Aurea