Potential elderberry bush, revisited

last year

Earlier in the year I came across a weed in my yard that I didn't recognize. I'd been mowing over it for years, but this time I'd missed it enough that it had gotten bigger and looked... interesting.

My plant app thought it might be an elderberry bush, so I dug it up and relocated it to a sunnier area with a sprinkler.

And here it is today:

No berries or flowers, only two stems from the ground, and one of those stems is about 8' long!

I expected flowers in June or July, so now I'm not sure if it's really an elderberry.

What do you think?

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

last year

Sambucus canadensis (technically, ALL species of elder) are self fertile, although bigger and heavier cropping will be achieved with a second plant.

And there are multiple named forms - Adam 1 and 2, York, Nova, Scotia, Kent and Johns, etc. - although a second wild seedling will work equally as well for cross pollination as a named cultivar.

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Comments (10)

Jay 6a Chicago
last year
It's an elderberry, Sambucus canadensis. Your's looks a little small for flowers yet. There's a good chance it will bloom next year since it's in full sun. I had the same issue and was expecting flowers before mine were mature enough. Be patient, the odds are good it will bloom and set fruit next year.
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
Original Author
last year
That's great news :-) Since it grew wild in my yard, I'm guessing that there are more nearby and that a bird planted this one for me, but that would imply the same cultivar.

I have a rather lengthy tree border, and this might work well to fill in and create a wildlife-friendly hedge in front of those trees! Easy to propagate and they obviously grow well in this area, all I'd really need to do is buy a couple of other cultivars and then I should have a nice hedge in 3-4 years for very little cost!

I just searched and found a "John & Adams" for $70, which is two cultivars shipped together for pollination. So shoot, it looks like all I need is $70, jars and water, and a few years :-D
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Molly, Black Lace can be stubburn to flower, and it should flower if you have another bush or not. It may not fruit without a 2nd bush. I would try Black Beauty, Laciniata or Emerald Lace. You need another cultivar for fruit, not the same one. When I think about it Nigra species is somewhat self fruitful, so you don't need a 2nd bush although a 2nd bush would make them produce more fruit. It's canadensis that is not self fruitful. If you want fruit though best to grow one meant for fruit. Bob mentioned he has Samdal a nigra species that fruits very well. Samyl fruits even better! Both can be obtained from Nourse Farms. I would get that for fruit. Lace and the others are not really great producers as you are finding out. Well some of the ornamentals produce OK Emerald Lace produces fairly well. I like the variegated species, but they too are not grown for fruit as much and require some shade. The really white one Sambucus nigra 'Pulverulenta' is tough to grow. I lost one this year due to the extreme winter. I replaced it this spring. I just like it so much, I'm still trying to figure out how to grow it well. Now the other variegated species Sambucus nigra 'Albovariegata' grows like a weed, but is susceptable to fungal disease, it needs to be sprayed. It is also a very handsome plant. Mine is getting big! I grow them at my cottage as I have low light there and am trying to find low light plants that are edible. it has been a difficult challenge. Cornus Mas though grows well there, and so I have a couple cultivars of that up there. Molly I would try feeding your bush with Holly-Tone. The PH might be too high, and the complete nutrition of Holly-Tone may help if maybe it is a lack of a micro-nutrient. Holly-Tone has sulfur and will lower PH slightly over time. Adding iron might help too. Elders like a PH of around 6.0 A soil test could help determine the problem. Sometimes in low light they will not fruit. .
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Since it is a self sown seedling it won’t be any cultivar. It’ll be the straight species or an unnamed random cross. If your source for the John and Adams plants is Fast Growing Trees, I’ve noticed people here generally don’t rate the company.
Jay 6a Chicago
last year
I looked up John's and Adam's elderberries and I can't find any mention of them being special cultivars. I'm wondering if they are just presented as such to make more money for the vendors? As common as they are and as fast as they grow, if they are just straight species than $35 seems rather expensive. Prairie Moon Nursery sells barefoot Sambucus canadensis for $9.00. I've bought several bareroot plants from them and have always recieved healthy plants.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Stark sells both Johns and Adams as named cultivars.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
last year
last modified: last year
Definitely looks like an elder.

FWIW, the elder I have growing spreads by suckering. Yours might do so too, and save you some money.
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
Original Author
last year
If your source for the John and Adams plants is Fast Growing Trees, I’ve noticed people here generally don’t rate the company.

@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK, it is FGT :-)

https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/products/john-adams-elderberry-shrub-pair

I've ordered from them twice this year (both times were for trees), and both times everything was great; fast delivery, packed well so everything looked good on delivery, and they're still doing well.

I haven't had a Winter with them yet, of course, but I bought a 1 year warranty for everything so if it dies then it's not a tragedy.

I bought (4) Major Wheelers from another nursery and two of them have already died. Those are my only experiences with ordering plants online, so I have no complaints with FGT so far.

FWIW, the elder I have growing spreads by suckering. Yours might do so too, and save you some money.

@carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b, that would be pretty awesome :-) I read that you can root cuttings in water, so I figured that I would trim off ten 4" cuttings next year and root them in water, then by 2025 I'd have 11 good shrubs :-)

Unless you all think I could take cuttings from that 8' long limb this year? I read that it's best to not prune it until it's 2 or 3 years old, but this was a transplant that I'd been mowing over for God-only-knows how long. And since the second limb is only about 3-4' tall, the 8' monster could stand to be trimmed down a tad.

Or would it be better to wait for suckers instead of taking cuttings at all?
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
For Elder take hardwood cuttings when the plant is dormant. So, don’t use the long green shoot, at least not until it has hardened off. S nigra doesn’t sucker. S canadensis does..
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
party_music50
last year
last modified: last year
I grow John and Adam. They’re very good. One keeps traveling and the other is content to stay as a small shrub, but I don’t remember which is which.
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC thanked party_music50

Potential elderberry bush, revisited

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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Jay 6a Chicago

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Potential elderberry bush, revisited

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Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NCOriginal Author

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