How to Grow Elderberry Shrubs

Elderberries can be used to make jams and jellies.

The common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is native to the eastern United States, while the blue elderberry (S. cerulea) is from the western US, and the European elderberry (S. nigra) is from Europe. Elderberries form a small tree or large shrub up to 16 feet tall with multiple stems. Elderberry flowers come in fragrant, white clusters and are followed by flattened bunches of purple berries about 1/4 inch across. The berries are used to make jellies and wine.

Instructions

1. 

   Ripening elderberries

   Select a site for your elderberry shrub that gets plenty of sunshine and has fertile, well-drained soils with a pH. between 5.5 and 6.5. Plant your elderberry away from woods or other structures that impair air flow.

2. Plant elderberry bushes during the spring. Set your elderberry plant at the same depth as it was growing in its nursery or container. Leave at least 6 feet between plants.

3. Water your plant thoroughly after planting, and water regularly for the first year. Provide an inch of water per week during flowering and fruiting, and water during extended dry periods after harvest. Mulch your elderberry shrubs with a 6-inch layer of organic mulch such as bark or wood chips to control weeds and prevent root damage.

4. Prune your elderberry shrub after the second year of growth, removing all weak and dead canes during the early spring. After three years of growth, remove the oldest canes as they will no longer yield heavily.

5. Fertilize elderberry shrubs with 1/8 lb. of ammonium nitrate for for each year of the plant's age, up to a maximum of 1 lb. per plant. Alternately, use 1/2 lb. balanced fertilizer per year of growth up to a maximum of 4 lbs.

Tips & Warnings

• Elderberry shrubs are hardy in USDA zones 3 and above, with minimum temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover fruiting plants with lightweight nets to prevent the birds from taking the berries. Grow elderberry shrubs as a hedge by planting them in a row with 6 to 10 feet between plants. Plant elderberry bushes on a raised mound if your soil is heavy or prone to water logging.

References

• Oregon State University: Grow Elderberries as a Fruit-bearing Ornamental
• Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Elderberries
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food: Elderberries for Home Gardens
• Cornell University Extension: Elderberries
• Home Orchard Society: Mulch Your Fruit Trees!

Resources

• The United States National Arboretum: USDA Plant Hardiness Map Zone