| Botanical name | Sambucus nigra |
|---|---|
| Plant Care |  Deciduous Deciduous – Sheds Its Leaves Annually  Full Sun Full Sun – Prefers 6 or more hours of sun per day.  Frost Hardy Frost Hardy – Can Handle frost without damage.  Moderate Watering Moderate Watering – Requires Regular Watering.  Pruning Required Pruning Required – Needs to be Pruned.  Non Indigenous Non Indigenous – Exotic to South Africa. |
| Size | |
| Categories | |
| Flowers | This plant bears large panicles of white flowers. |
| Common name(s) | Elderberry |
| Origin | |
| Foliage | This plant bears attractive leaves with a layered effect. |
| Uses in landscape design | Elder trees do well with clipping and training, and make excellent windbreaks, hedges and focal points. They also make a pretty specimen tree in a small garden. |
| Maintenance | Elders benefit from regular pruning. |
| Fruit | This plant carries black berries. |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Uses | Their white lacy flowers are delicious in cakes and fruit salads. The berries can be used to make make jam, cordials and wines. |
| Interesting planting ideas | Plant elder tree near the compost heap, it helps break down the compost. The roots penetrate underneath the compost and helps break everything down. |
| Interesting info | The elder tree is the source of elderberries, and it grows wild in many countries, including some parts of South Africa. It is a very useful plant and almost every part of it has medicinal value. The berries are commercially used in jams and fruit juices. |
| Other languages | Vlierbessie (A) |
| Harvest | Pick the flowers all through summer,but leave some for berries. |
Sambucus nigra (Elderberry)
- Botanical name: Sambucus nigra
- Common name(s): Elderberry
- Categories: Shrubs and Perennials
Plant description:
The attractive leaves produce a layered effect. This quick-growing shrub offers large panicles of white flowers as a bonus, followed by black berries.
Family: Adoxaceae
Synonym: Sambucus graveolens
Botanical Pronunciation: sam-BEW-kus NYE-gruh
Sambucus nigra requirements and features
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Moderate Maintenance
Requires moderate maintenance.
This plant bears large panicles of white flowers.
This plant bears attractive leaves with a layered effect.
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