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Common Elder in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Sambucus nigra

 

Common Elder

Sambucus nigra is a wild tree in many temperate and sub-tropical areas of the world. The fragrant flowers are used for making cordials and other drinks, and the fruit is used for infusions and wine-making. The leaves are pinnate, with 5-7 oval and toothed leaflets and which have an unpleasant smell when touched. The tiny creamy-white flowers are borne in large flat umbels, 10-30cm across,and are highly fragrant, with a grapefruity scent. The tree blooms in early Summer, and are followed in late Summer - early Autumn by clusters of shiny black berries.

Contributed by @farnham_surrey

 
plant Features
  • Common Elder likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Common Elder likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Common Elder is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Common Elder likes all soil conditions

    All soil conditions

 
plant information

Common name

Common Elder

Latin name

Sambucus nigra

type

Shrub

family

Adoxaceae

ph

5.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Common Elder likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Common Elder is full frost hardy: 5f (-15°c)

    Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

  • Soil

    Common Elder likes all soil conditions

    All soil conditions

  • Water

    Common Elder likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Common Elder is 4.00meters x 8.00meters 4.00 M 8.00 M

Sambucus nigra

Sambucus nigra is a wild tree in many temperate and sub-tropical areas of the world. The fragrant flowers are used for making cordials and other drinks, and the fruit is used for infusions and wine-making. The leaves are pinnate, with 5-7 oval and toothed leaflets and which have an unpleasant smell when touched. The tiny creamy-white flowers are borne in large flat umbels, 10-30cm across,and are highly fragrant, with a grapefruity scent. The tree blooms in early Summer, and are followed in late Summer - early Autumn by clusters of shiny black berries.


Propagation by cuttings

From Mid Spring TO Early Summer

Take soft wood cuttings in spring to early summer. Cleanly cut up to a 10cm long stems, remove lower leaves and pinch the tip out, dip the stem into rooting hormone, fill a container/pot with suitable compost, make holes around the edge of it and plant the cuttings, water in well, cover with a polythene bag and place somewhere warm, lake the bag off twice a week to air the cuttings. Keep the cuttings moist until well rooted.Harden off when well rooted and pot on into individual pots increasing the airing to let the leaves to develop. Remove rotten, dying or dead cuttings regularly.

 

Planting Outdoors Spring

From Early Spring TO Late Spring

Thrives in any reasonable soil, with best foliage colour in full sun. Keep well watered until established.

 

Flowering Season

From Late Spring TO Early Summer

The hermaphrodite flowers are borne in large, flat corymbs 10–25 cm diameter in late spring to mid summer, the individual flowers ivory white, 5–6 mm diameter, with five petals. They are pollinated by flies.

 
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