American Elderberry: Care, Growing Guide, & Facts
American Elderberry Plant Description
The American elderberry, often referred to as the common elderberry, is a deciduous shrub with tiny black berries and vivid white blossoms. With its rich green foliage, sprays of flowers, and tasty fruits, this shrub, also known as black elderberry or American black elderberry, is a charming addition to any garden or landscape.
The American elderberry, which is native to North America, is also noted for its culinary qualities—elderberry fruits may be eaten and cooked with when completely mature.
American elderberry is a relatively fast-growing shrub that can grow to be up to 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide when mature, and it is best planted in early spring after the last frost.
It grows well in USDA zones 3 to 9 and may be collected when the berries are dark purple or black, which is usually in August or September.
How To Care American Elderberry?
The American elderberry is a low-maintenance shrub that thrives in a wide range of growth situations, from moist soil and rocky terrain to strong sun and plenty of shade. They do, however, require plenty of water.
A sufficient amount of water will guarantee that your plant not only lives and flourishes, but also produces a large number of berries. Concentrate on allowing your bush to develop itself throughout the first several years of growing American elderberry.
But when it comes to trimming your shrub, do the bare minimum and examine it for invasive weeds, which are typically a concern for shallow-rooted plants. You shouldn’t expect large berry harvests any more.
You won’t have a decent yield until your second or third year. Because the berries are fairly sour on their own, you’ll need to add a lot of sugar if you want to make jam or pie out of them.
Wine, cordials, and syrups may all be made from the plant’s little white blooms, which grow in a cluster called a “cyme.”
How To Grow American Elderberry?
i. Light
American elderberries thrive in a wide range of sun conditions, making it an excellent choice for almost any position in your yard or landscaping. Though it can endure any situation, it loves the full sun or partial shade.
ii. Soil
Plant your American elderberry shrub in humusy, wet soil for the best results. Despite the fact that the plant can endure a wide range of soil conditions, it must be well-drained. A pH range of neutral to acidic is also suggested.
Choose a location that isn’t prone to stagnant water when growing your American elderberry, and space each bush at least a few feet apart to enable them to develop freely.
iii. Water
Drought is about the only thing that the American elderberry can’t stand. During its peak growth season, particularly during periods of exceptionally hot or dry weather, your elderberry will require about an inch or two of water per week.
Note that the plant’s roots are near to the ground, so if the top layer of soil is dry, the plant’s roots are likely to be as well. Overwatering the American elderberry is unlikely as long as you have well-drained soil.
iv. Temperature and Humidity
Given its wide variety of hardiness zones, the American elderberry isn’t fussy about temperature. However, it is a plant that prefers to be cold and damp rather than hot and dry. It favours temperate conditions and has no specific humidity requirements, but it enjoys rain.
v. Fertilizer
While fertilising your American elderberry plant isn’t strictly essential, it is a good strategy to guarantee that it produces plenty of berries.
To begin with, try adding manure or compost to the soil where your bush will be planted to boost its nutritional density. In addition, treat your shrub with a 10-10-10 fertiliser combination every spring.
Varieties of American Elderberry
1. The ‘Aurea’ cultivar is a yellow-leaved shrub with red fruit rather than black.
2. ‘Variegata’ refers to variegated foliage.
3. Lacy dissected leaves are offered by ‘Laciniata’.
4. ‘Adams No. 1,’ ‘Adams No. 2,’ ‘York,’ and ‘Johns’: yield a great number of drupes and are the cultivars most commonly used for cooking.
American Elderberry Pruning
This shrub has a proclivity for suckers. This is a useful feature if you’re attempting to fill a native garden on a budget, but it may be unpleasant in other situations.
In rare cases, it may even become aggressive. If this is the case, your local garden centre should be able to tell you. By selecting and nurturing a core leader, you may transform the bushes into a conventional shape.
It’s generally a multi-trunked shrub otherwise. At the start of spring, remove any canes that are dead, damaged, or infected.
Remove any canes that are more than three years old, since younger ones yield better and this trimming will promote new development. Pruning can also be done to tidy up the look of a shrub that has gotten leggy.
How To Propagate American Elderberry?
Cuttings of elderberry can be rooted and used to propagate the plant. Use rooting hormone to protect them from germs and fungus. For at least two months, store cuttings in a jar filled with clean water.
Refill the water as required, and spray every now and again. You may put them immediately into your garden, in a well-drained spot with some shade, once they have formed strong roots.
American Elderberry Potting and Repotting
Because elderberries have thin roots, they’re ideal for container gardening. It’s ideal to pot it in the spring, in a large pot with a diameter of at least 2 feet and a depth of at least 20 inches. Check for drainage holes or use a drill to make your own.
Use a potting soil that is rich in nutrients and has a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Mulch the topsoil with compost and water them periodically to keep them from drying up.
American Elderberry Common Pests and Diseases
Although there are not too many difficulties to worry about when growing American elderberry, you may encounter common pests like aphids, mealybugs, elder shoot borers, and scale.
Additionally, canker, leaf spot, and powdery mildew are also diseases that can affect American elderberry. Weeds are the greatest significant threat to the plant, since they may rapidly choke out its thin roots if left untreated.
Clear the soil of any weeds that are encroaching on your elderberry plants on a regular basis.
