About American Elderberry...

This native shrub, American Elder or Sambucus canadensis, has been known for its delicious fruit (for use in jellies, pies or wine) since native American times. It has more recently been used in landscapes for its spectacular blossoms and dramatically colored berries. The Elderberry is also a fantastic wildlife habitat, providing both shelter for small animals and a healthy food source. Elderberries are both drought and cold-tolerant, adapt to almost any soil type and most drainage conditions and have few pests. They grow 6 to 12 feet high in an oval or rounded shape. The white flower clusters are generally 6 to 10 inches in diameter and are very showy with a nice fragrance. The fruit, which is pleasantly tart but high in vitamin C, is a smooth round berry measuring three-sixteenths-inch in diameter growing in broad flat clusters. The deep purple to black berries ripen in early August to late September and are a treat for song birds, turkey, quail, squirrels, deer and people.