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Please help ID-native Rhus / Hydrangea?

20 years ago

Hello all...at bottom is a Photobucket link to a picture of a plant I found growing next to RR tracks in Indiana:

It would appear to be of the genus Rhus, due to the form and leaflet arrangement, but the bloom is unusually showy and attractive (almost suggesting a Hydrangea, if you look at the white "Annabelle" type bloom in the right hand portion of the photo). I caught it near the end of its bloom cycle, and all the other rusty-colored terminal heads are spent blooms.

(The photo is pretty-decent resolution, so you can zoom in to the leaflet and fruit arrangement if you like)

Has anyone seen this elsewhere, or know what it is? Thanks!

Rusty

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (6)

neil_allen
20 years ago
I'm pretty sure that what you've got is an elderberry (Sambucus nigra), with some blooms faded and the berries coming on.

Here is a link that might be useful: USDA Plants -- Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis
davidl_ny5
20 years ago
Yup, I agree with Neil, although I don't know nigra (have only canadensis myself). That's a nice looking plant.
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There are different versions with that stem and flower scheme/color that do all of what you said. Without knowing exactly what they are it's a crapshoot as to which eventual size. For 3-5' you'd be looking at Little Quick Fire or Fire & Ice, something along those lines. The larger one is regular Quick Fire. At any time you can trim the taller portions down to make more uniform shrubs (Paniculatas often don't grow uniformly; they'll send up big new stems at random each season). If one of those big random stems goes past 6' I would highly suspect Quick Fire, in which case you may want to move them before they get too large.
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neil_allen
20 years ago
USDA seems to say that the common elderberry of both North America and Europe is S. nigra, with American (ssp. canadensis) and European (ssp. nigra) subspecies. I've shown the fruits of "our" elderberry to Europeans, and they've instantly recognized them. Some nurseries -- Forest Farm, for example -- list two separate species.
rustyshovel
Original Author
20 years ago
Ah! Sambucus it is! You guys rock...I knew _somebody_ had to be familiar with this plant.

My next question is, how would you propagate this plant? I'd like to start some.

Thanks...!

Rusty
ladyslppr
20 years ago
I think you could try cuttings - take pencil diameter or larger branches, cut pieces about 8 or 10 inches long, remove leaves from lower part of cutting, allow a few leaves on the upper end to remain, push half of cutting into damp potting soil or sand, keep moist and shady for a month or two. A percentage will root, so start with more cuttings than you want shrubs. I have never tried this with Elderberry.

Another option is to look for a shoot near the base of the shrub for a small piece that can be divided from the main plant with a few roots. A large shrub like the one in your photo should have a few side shoots, I think. Dig the shoot with a little soil and some roots and transplant to create a new shrub. I have to admit I have never tried to divide elderberry so I am not sure if they grow divideable shoots. They tend to volunteer in my garden so I always have some if I want them. Good Luck.
rustyshovel
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks for the input. (I also checked the AHS book and it said softwood in summer, hardwood cuttings in winter). I stuck some larger cuttings, and also some smaller ones, and will report back if these succeed.

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