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Rain Garden Plants: Elderberry

An informative guide on elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), covering its growth habits, ideal site conditions, and distinctive features such as red fall foliage.

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Updated:

June 25, 2026

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White flower heads of elderberry. Photo by Jodi Sulpizio, Penn State Extension

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Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a deciduous, woody, multistemmed plant growing either as a clump-like shrub or small tree. It spreads by root suckers and will form thickets. It prefers wet, well-drained soils. Leaves are innately compound (divided with multiple leaflets arranged along a central stalk), consisting of 5 to 10 leaflets. The leaflets grow opposite on the stem and have sharply toothed edges. Corky lenticels (raised pores on the stem) that look like little warts are visible on the hollow stems. The plant has yellowish-white flowers that grow in flat-topped clusters. The dark purple, rounded fruits, called drupes, ripen in August and September and are attractive to wildlife. Foliage turns red in the fall.

Height: 5 to 12 feet
Bloom color: Yellow white
Bloom time: June to July
Hardiness zone: 4 to 9
Salt tolerance: High tolerance to salt spray and soil salt
Spreading habit: Root suckers