Rain Garden Plants: Elderberry

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: NA
Spreading habit: Root suckers

Site Conditions

Sun: Sun/partial shade
Soil: Circumneutral (pH 6.8 to 7.2)
Hydrologic zones: Moist

Sources

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
North Carolina State University Extension

Prepared by Jodi Sulpizio, Beth Yount, Vincent Cotrone, Constance Schmotzer, and Jessica Chou.
Finalized by Jodi Sulpizio