A caller to the Gloucester Extension office last week expressed interest in learning about how to grow American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis). Our initial phone conversation focused on soil testing through Virginia Tech. After he receives the soil test report, we will discuss amendments, if any, that are needed to improve the health of the soil, so it will be ready for planting in the spring.
Sambucus canadensis is native to eastern and central North America and some parts of South America in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9. It is a close relative of common or black elderberry (S. nigra), which is a European native. American elderberry often is listed as S. nigra ssp. canadensis.
American elderberry is a woody, deciduous shrub or small tree with a graceful, loose, arching habit. The branches reach 5 to 12 feet in height with a similar spread. Elderberry prefers moist to wet, well-drained, loamy soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 in full sun to part shade. It tolerates clay soil. In the wild, eld...