Our Price: $12.25
Culinary
Medicinal
Container
Pollinator
Butterfly
NativeSambucus canadensis
Light: Full sun- Part Shade
Temperature: Herbaceous perennial hardy in Zones 3 to 9
Watering: Consistent watering is needed
Soil: moist and well drained soil, needed.
Comments: An easy to grow shrub that can grow in many different conditions but the one thing that this plant needs is water. This allows the plants to stay happy and healthy to produce lots of berries!
Native to North America, Elderberry is a deciduous (sheds it's leaves annually) perennial shrub that can be seen growing in low moist grounds. It makes an abundance of white cream flowers and black berries. This fruit has many uses from jams and juices to pies and wine!
This is a pretty easy to grow plant when watered regularly. Elderberry can grow up to 10 feet tall, so make sure you have the space! There are not many issues with insect or disease but they can be inclined to powdery mildew, leaf spots, aphids and spider mites. These plants will spread by root suckers which is the plant spreading through the roots around it's perimeter.
Elderberries have been studied for bringing relief for flu like symptoms, scientist believe that the berries stimulates the immune system's chemicals responses. Here's a wonderful Elderberry Recipe to help when it comes to flu season:
Combine water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Mash berries with a potato mixture to release juices. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, retaining juice and discarding pulp, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Stir in honey until thoroughly combined.
You can substitute simple syrup or agave nectar for the honey. Try blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries instead of elderberries. If you don't have fresh elderberries, you can use 1/2 cup of dried elderberries.
