Description
Characteristic Features of Elder
Elder or Elderberry (Sambucus) is a genus of deciduous shrubs, small trees, and perennial grasses, comprising according to various sources about 25-40 species found in temperate and subtropical climates. It was formely placed first in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae and later in the Sambucaceae; currently it is included in the Adoxaceae.
The origin of the name is unclear. According to one version, the Latin "sambucus" comes from the sambuca, a musical instrument that was made of Elder. According to another version, the name derives from the Greek "sambyx" (red paint).
Elder is not only a very attractive plant. It has medicinal properties and has been used to treat various diseases since the Middle Ages. Note, however, that two species, Danewort (Wild Elder) and European Red Elder, are poisonous, so only Black Elder is typically used for medicinal purposes. Elderberry is sometimes used to make jam, vinegar, juice, and purple food colouring. In Russia, the berries were used for cleaning the samovar, and pieces of the young bark served as an efficient insect and rodents repellent. Elder shoots contain essential oils, carotene, glycosides, tannins, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, malic acid, valeric acid etc.
This ornamental plant can reach a height of 3 to 10 metres. It typically has grey-brown bark, imparipinnate opposite leaves, and yellowish-white flowers, collected in corymbose or umbellate inflorescences. Flowers are borne in late spring or early summer. The fruit ripens in August and September. It is a berry-like purple, red, or black drupe, depending on the species.
In the garden, Elderberry looks great as a hedge as well as in single plantings.
The most popular ornamental and hardy species used in landscaping are the following:
European Dwarf Elder (Sambucus ebulus) is a perennial that grows up to 2 metres tall, has a branched stem, oblong leaves, umbellate white-pink inflorescences, and round purple berries.
Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a widespread shrub that grows in the forests, parks, or gardens, reaching a height of 7 metres and featuring drooping corymbose inflorescences and rounded shiny purple-black berries. Flowers are borne from the second half of May to July. In our climate, the plant frequently freezes during severe winters but recovers well. Gardeners especially value such varieties as 'Aurea' with golden or lime leaves; 'Albo-variegata' with white variegated leaves; 'Asplenifolia' with deeply dissected leaves; 'Guincho Purple' with green leaves that later turn purple and then red, and white-pink flowers; 'Black Beauty' with magenta leaves and pink flowers; 'Pendula' with weeping shoots; 'Ryramidalis' with a columnar crown; and 'Roseaplena' with double pale pink flowers.
American Elder (Sambucus canadensis) is a shrub reaching about 4 metres tall and featuring grey shoots with a yellowish tint, large leaves (about 30 centimetres), umbellate yellowish-white inflorescences, and purple-black berries. This species is often confused with Black Elder; however, American Elder is rather frost-resistant. In the gardens, you can find various ornamental varieties of this species: 'Aurea' up to 3 metres tall, with yellowing leaves; 'Chlorocarpa' with yellow leaves and green berries; 'Laciniata' with double-dissected pinnate leaves; 'Argenteomarginata' with silver spots on the leaves; 'Maxima', a tall shrub with red flowers.
European Red Elder (Sambucus racemosa) is a deciduous shrub that grows to 5 metres tall and has an ovoid crown, pale green leaves, greenish-yellow flowers, and red berries. The most popular varieties are 'Plumosa Aurea ', a shrub up to 2 metres tall, with dissected golden leaves; 'Plumosa' with purple leaves, beige flowers, and deep red berries.
Blue Elderberry (Sambucus coerulea) is a very attractive tree with light-brown bark, blue-green leaves, corymbose inflorescences, and bluish-black berries.
Japanese Red Elder (Sambucus sieboldiana) can reach 8 metres tall and has pointy leaves, large berries and flowers.
The Secrets to Successfully Growing Elder
Elder is an easy to keep plant. It is shade-tolerant but some varieties lose their vibrant foliage colouring in full shadow. Elder prefers moist and fertile soils; it does not like dry air and grows worse in windy locations. American Elderberry will thrive in loam soils with moderate or high acidity, while European Red Elder grows best in calcareous soils. Elderberry leaves rot very quickly, thus making a good fertilizer, so no other micronutrients are required if the plant is grown in rich soils.
The basic care for an adult Elder includes timely watering and pruning to maintain the shape. Prune Elder every 2-3 years for a denser shrub and larger leaves. Each year, remove all dry and damaged branches, as well as unnecessary basal branches. Elders grow up half a metre per year, so prune hard beause the weaker branches you cut will soon be replaced by healthy shoots.
The ornamental varieties are grown from two-year-old seedlings. In the spring or autumn, cut the roots to leave about 20 centimetres and place the seedling into a planting hole 50 centimetres deep. Fill in with soil mixed with compound fertilizer and keep the root collar no more than 2 centimetres deep. Immediately after planting, remove dry branches and slightly shorten all shoots. Water young plants plentifully and slightly mulch. If you plant Elder shrubs in groups, space them 3-4 metres apart. In their first two years, Elders need regular watering, weeding, loosening the soil 10 centimetres deep, and winter mulching with a 10 centimetre layer of dry leaves or peat.
Elder is typically propagated by layering. Bend the shoot, pin to the ground, water, and protect with direct sunlight. A year later, separate cuttings from their mother plant.
Propagation by cuttings is also common. Cut young shoot about 30 centimetres long in June or July. Dip in growth promoter and plant out in the garden or container. The following summer, transplant the rooted shoots to a permanent location.
Elder species can be propagated by seed. After stratification, sow the seeds 2.5 centimetres deep in the winter or spring. A year later, the seedlings can be planted out to a permanent location in the garden.
Potential Problems
Since Elder scares away insects, pests tend not to attack it as well as the neighbouring plants. However, there are some insects that can damage Elder: the elderberry leaf miners, elderberry swallow-tailed moths, aphids (use Malathion), and elderberry leaf mites (use Phitoverm or Mitac).
