Alphabetical Plant Listing

Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry)

Red Elderberry, European Red Elder, Red-Berried Elder, Scarlet Elderberry


Perfect for traditional and wildlife gardens, Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry) is a deciduous suckering shrub or small tree adorned with opposite, pinnately compound, green leaves, 6-9 in. long (15-22 cm). Each individual leaf is composed of 5-7 leaflets, lance-shaped to narrowly oval, and deeply incised along the edges. In late spring to early summer, abundant conical clusters of tiny, fragrant, white flowers appear near the branch tips. Attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, they give way to upright clusters of red berries that are happily devoured by birds in the fall. Native to Europe, northern temperate Asia, and North America across Canada and the United States, Red Elderberry occurs naturally in moist woodlands, thickets, stream banks, fields, fence rows and roadsides. Colorful from spring through fall, this easy-to-grow shrub looks wonderful in mixed borders or as a high-impact specimen plant. Adaptable in gardens, tolerant of wet soils and partial shade, neither of which will diminish fruit set. Will tolerate full sun in northern climates, but prefers part shade in warmer areas.

  • Grows up to 8-12 ft. tall (240-360 cm) and 8-15 ft. wide (240-450 cm). This plant spreads by root suckers to form colonies.
  • Performs best in full sun or part shade, in moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils
  • Excellent choice as a single specimen plant, for mixed borders, informal screens or hedges. Mass in naturalized areas where suckering spread may be appreciated. The dense roots and rhizomes of red elderberry make it useful for soil stabilization and erosion control on moist sites including streambanks.
  • May be subject to verticillium wilt, blackfly and glasshouse red spider mite. Deer resistant.
  • Propagate by seed, softwood cuttings or hardwood cuttings. Seeds germinate readily after cold-stratification, as long as the fruit can be harvested before a mob of songbirds consumes the entire crop.
  • Benefits from hard pruning as a young plant to develop a nice full habit. Older plants can be trimmed after flowering. This plant blooms on old wood, so spring pruning will reduce flower production.
  • All parts may cause discomfort if ingested
  • Native to Europe, northern temperate Asia, and North America across Canada and the United States.

Not sure which Sambucus - Elder to pick?
Compare All Sambucus - Elder

Buy Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry)

Requirements

Hardiness 3 – 7
Heat Zones 1 – 7
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, A2, A3
Plant Type Shrubs, Trees
Plant Family Sambucus - Elder
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 8' – 12' (240cm – 3.6m)
Spread 8' – 15' (240cm – 4.5m)
Spacing 108" – 240" (270cm – 600cm)
Water Needs Average, High
Maintenance Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Native Plants United States, Alaska, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Southeast, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico
Tolerance Deer, Wet Soil
Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens
Garden Styles Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage

Buy Plants

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Sambucus - Elder


IvanaStevanoski, Stefan Schug, adamikarl, Shutterstock

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.


Requirements

Hardiness 3 – 7
Heat Zones 1 – 7
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, A2, A3
Plant Type Shrubs, Trees
Plant Family Sambucus - Elder
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 8' – 12' (240cm – 3.6m)
Spread 8' – 15' (240cm – 4.5m)
Spacing 108" – 240" (270cm – 600cm)
Water Needs Average, High
Maintenance Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Native Plants United States, Alaska, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Southeast, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico
Tolerance Deer, Wet Soil
Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens
Garden Styles Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Sambucus - Elder

Plant Calculator

How many Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry) do I need for my garden?

%
ft
ft

Your Shopping List

Plant Quantity
Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry)

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.