Sambucus nigra

Elder, Elderberry

Species Tolerances

  • Drought Tolerance: Low
  • Shade Tolerance: Yes
  • Waterlogging Tolerance: Low
  • Frost Tolerance (trees from warmer climates may be frost tolerant, but their flowers may not be): Yes
  • RHS Hardiness: H6
  • Optimum Conditions for Growth:
    A small, generally short lived tree, but regenerates when damaged and can live for much longer. Tolerates a wide range of poor to rich, sandy to clay soils. Prefers and is associated with disturbed, nitrogen-rich and alkaline soils, though no strong dependence on alkaline soil pH. Not salt tolerant.
  • Susceptibility to Pest/Disease:
    May be susceptible to verticillium wilt and honey fungus

Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) in the Burgwald Mountains near Wetter-Unterrosphe, Hesse, Germany/ Willow/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

Service to Pollinators

  • Summary of Service to Pollinators:
    Not regularly visited by pollinators except flies, though does produce nectar from extra-floral nectaries, and honeydew is produced when aphids are active.
  • Nectar Value to Pollinators: 1 (of 0-3)
  • Honeydew Value to Pollinators: 1 (of 0-3)
  • Pollen Value to Bees: 0 (of 0-3)
  • Flowering Period: June

Risks

  • Human Toxicity: Toxic
  • Livestock Toxicity: Toxic
  • Invasive Risk: No
  • Suckering: No

Products

  • Edible Fruit: Yes
  • Edible Leaves: No
  • Edible Sap: No
  • Edible Seeds: No
  • Honey, major source in UK: No
  • For any medicinal potential, see 'Further Details' below.
  • Timber: No
  • Livestock Fodder: No
  • Other Products:
    Extra-floral nectaries producing nectar. Fruits and flowers are only edible when cooked. Leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides. Flowers and fruit used for cordials and fruits used for medicinal syrup for immunity support. Leaves, bark, roots and fruit used as dyes.

Utility

  • Nitrogen Fixation: No
  • Organic Matter Accumulation: Yes
  • Phytoremediation: Yes
  • Deacidification: No
  • Windbreak: No
  • Soil Erosion Control: Yes
  • Shade or Shelter: No
  • Plant Support: No
  • Integrated Pest Management: Insufficient Data
  • Wildlife Value: Yes
  • Wildlife Value Summary:
    Berries are available to a large range of birds and mammals.
  • Graduated Nativeness Classification
    ⓘ
    1. Historic Native
    2. Historic Introduction
    9. Neutral Introduction
    : 1 (of 1-10)

Further Details

    Mixed plantings. Defoliation may occur in severe droughts. A short-lived tree usually multi-stemmed as it matures. Extra-floral nectaries producing nectar, found either side of the leaf stalk where the petiole meets the leaf blade, of value to all pollinators