Elderberry

Beauty, Medicine, and Wildlife

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is the ultimate edible ornamental. This vigorous native shrub produces huge, flat-topped clusters of fragrant white flowers in early summer. These are followed by drooping bunches of small, dark purple berries. Both the flowers (elderflower) and cooked berries (elderberry syrup) are prized for their flavor and immune-boosting properties.

Why You Need It:

• Edible Harvest: Make your own jams, wines, and health tonics.
• Pollinator Buffet: The flowers attract many pollinators, and birds go crazy for the fruit.
• Fast Screen: Grows very quickly, making it great for a fast, informal summer hedge.

Planting Tips:

Thrives in Full Sun to Part Sun. It loves water and is an excellent choice for a wet spot or rain garden. It suckers to form a thicket, so plant it where it can spread.