Elderberry |
| General |
| Common Name | Elderberry |
| Latin Name | Sambucus canadensis, Sambucus spp. |
| Category | Fruits |
| Family | Brambles |
| Variety | Adams No. I, Adams No. 2, York, Johns, Kent, Nova, Scotia |
| Visual Traits |
| Flower | small, white clusters; June |
| Fruit | fall; Adams series ripen early September; develop on current season's growth, but especially on second-season lateral canes |
| Height | 7 ft |
| Cultivation |
| Cultivation and Mulching | mulch for weed suppression, do not cultivate deeper than 2" to protect roots |
| Field preparation and planting | incorporate manure or compost prior to planting |
| Field spacing / planting depth | 6-10' spacing; plant two different cultivars within 60' to ensure cross-pollination |
| Hardwood Cuttings | heel cuttings from older wood; late winter |
| Harvest | late August to early September; remove cluster and strip fruit |
| Pollination | virtually self-incompatible; plant two cultivars to ensure pollination |
| Propagation method | seed, container, division |
| Pruning | late winter, early spring; remove weak canes more than three years old, leaving equal number 1:2:3y growth |
| Retail Source | 6-10 ft apart |
| Seed treatment and storage | store 60days at 68°F, 90-150days at 41°F in moist sand |
| Softwood cuttings | September |
| Sowing seed | sow immediately in fall or store and sow in spring; germinates following spring; 1/4" deep, cover 3/8" sawdust |
| Transplant | spring; plant as soon as received from nursery to prevent drying |
| Watering guidelines | keep well-watered first season to prevent drying shallow roots |
| Critters |
| Insect and invertebrate pests | cane borers |
| Pathogens | powdery mildew |
| Soils |
| Fertility / quality | fertile |
| Moisture and drainage | moist, well drained; intolerant to poor drainage; tolerates dry |
| Soils and topography | stream banks, meadows, fencerows |
| Texture | prefers sandy loam, tolerates wide range |
| Growth Pattern |
| Fruit bearing age / full crop load | 1y / 2y (lose vigor by 3-4y) |
| Root habit | shallow rooted |
| Habitat and Climate |
| Fire tolerance | moderately tolerant |
| Frost-free days (FFD) | 100 |
| Hardiness Zone | (3)4-9 |
| Rainfall / humidity | 34-60" |
| Light |
| Light recommendation | full sun to partial shade |
| Shade tolerance | moderately tolerant |
| Special Notes |
| Note 1 | Must match variety to site |
| Note 2 | higher in phosphorous and potassium than any other temperate fruit, rich in vitamin C |
