| Scientific Name: | Sambucus nigra |
| Common Name: | elderberry, European elder |
| Family Name: | Viburnaceae |
| Origin: | Africa - northern, Europe, Garden origin |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Shrub - deciduous |
| Mature Size: | 2 - 3m x 2 - 3m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Arching, Spreading, Twiggy, Upright |
| Form: | Oval - vertical, Vase |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract birds, Medicinal plant, Mixed shrub border, Reclamation, Wildlife food, Woodland margin |
| Exposure: | Full sun only if soil kept moist, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Humus rich, Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Compound, Opposite, Soft flexible, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Odd-pinnate, Leaflets stalked, Lanceolate, Ovate, Serrate |
| Flowers: | Cyme, White, Jun-Jul |
| Fruit: | Drupe, Edible, Blue, Black, Jul-Aug-Sep |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves opposite, pinnately compound, usually with 5 ovate leaflets, most 6-9cm long x 2.5-4cm wide, margin serrate; corymb-like cymes 7-10cm wide, flowers ~5mm wide, 5 white petals and stamen filaments; drupes maturing black, oval, 4-6mm wide. | |