American elderberry

Questions about American elderberry

Does American elderberry need sun or shade?

American elderberry grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and plenty of water. It copes with soil that stays wet.

What zones does American elderberry grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does American elderberry flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid June to mid July. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should American elderberry be planted?

8 ft (250 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 10 ft (300 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 10 ft (300 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many American elderberry plants do I need?

Usually one. At 8 ft (250 cm) across, it is a plant you place, not one you mass. For a hedge or screen, set them 8 ft apart: two plants for a 10 ft run.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is American elderberry poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. The leaves, stems, roots and unripe berries are poisonous if eaten. The ripe berries are safe once cooked.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like American elderberry?

These come closest to doing what American elderberry does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• American cranberrybush: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late May to mid June.
• Mock orange: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late May to late June, wants average soil.
• Red osier dogwood: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 20 in shorter, 20 in narrower.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat American elderberry?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

Will American elderberry spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Spreads by suckers into a wider clump. Remove the outer shoots to contain it.

What flowers after American elderberry?

American elderberry is over by mid July. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Joe Pye weed 'Gateway': from late July to mid September, 6 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems (a recorded partner).
• Hollyhock: from early July to late August, 6 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Panicle hydrangea 'Limelight': from mid July to early October, 7 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does American elderberry look like in winter?

American elderberry drops its leaves and stands as bare branches. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.

Is American elderberry good for bees and butterflies?

American elderberry is visited by pollinators, butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds.

It is native to the United States and Canada.