Elderberry: flowering time, types & tips for propagation

When does the elder bloom? What types of elderberry are there? What do you need to know about caring for and propagating elderberries? We reveal the best tricks.

The elder was already a valued food and medicine in the Middle Ages. Out of respect for the valuable plant, men would take off their hats when they passed an elder tree. And even today, the elderberry is very popular due to its beautiful flowers and diverse uses.

Elderberry: origin and characteristics

Elderberry (Sambucus) denotes a genus of plants in the musk herb family (Adoxaceae). There are around 40 species worldwide that range from the temperate zones of the northern to the tropical zones of the southern hemisphere. Three types of elder are native to Central Europe. The best known among them is certainly the black elder (

Sambucus nigra), which is usually briefly referred to as elder and, depending on the region, is also known as "Fliederbeerbusch", "Holler" or "Holder".

It is a strongly branched, round-crowned, fast-growing wood, the branches of which overhang strongly. The elder grows into a large bushy shrub or small tree, depending on its location, and reaches without regular pruning a height of about six to even ten meters and a width of a maximum of four Meters. The bark of the young elderberry bush is light beige to grayish and smooth. With increasing age, a clearly recognizable layer of cork forms on the trunk and on thick branches. The green leaves of the black elder are composed of five to seven single sawn leaves and are pinnate in no pairs. They are opposite and often sprout as early as late February to early March.

The elder heralds early summer with its blossoms. The numerous small, five-petalled single flowers stand close together in broad panicles. Insects find valuable food in the elderflower. If the elder flowers are not harvested for processing into elderflower syrup, for example, the pollinated flowers will turn into purple-black, round elderberries in late summer. From a botanical point of view, they are stone fruits that ripen at the end of September to October and can be harvested and processed. Since the fruit is a valuable source of food for birds, you should always leave enough fruit for the chirping garden dwellers.

Elder flowers: when does the elder flower?

The dense, white flowers of the elder usually bloom in June. In climatically favorable locations, flowering sometimes begins as early as May.

Elderberry species and varieties

In addition to the black elder, the shrub-shaped red elder (Sambucus racemosa) as well as the dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus) at home. Within these species there are a number of different varieties that differ in flower and leaf color, as well as in leaf shape, height and fruit size.

Black elder

• ′ Haschberg ′: large fruity variety; broad growth; fragrant and insect-friendly flowers; 3 - 5 m high; used in fruit growing
• 'Black Beauty': a special eye-catcher; brown-red, shiny foliage; pink-white flowers smelling of lemon; purple-black fruits; up to 3 m high
• 'Black Lace': foliage initially green-red, later dark red and slightly shiny; slotted sheet; pink buds turn into pinkish-white flowers with a lemon scent; juicy black fruits; 2 - 3.5 m high
• 'Golden Tower': Yellow-leaved column elder; columnar growth; yellow-green foliage, deeply incised leaves; white, racemose flowers; 1.5 - 2.5 m high; also suitable as a potted plant
• 'Black Tower': Red-leaved column elder; columnar growth; black-red, glossy leaves; pink-white flowers with lemon scent; attracts butterflies; purple-black fruits; up to 2 m high
• 'Purpurea': red-leaved elder; bushy growth; dark red foliage, greener again towards autumn; white flowers; 3 - 5 m high
• 'Marginata': white variegated foliage; Risk of sunburn in places that are very exposed to the sun

Red elder

The red elder, also called deer or grape elder, stays lower than the black elder. The leaf looks very similar to that of the black elder, but usually consists of fewer individual leaves. As the name suggests, the fruits turn red as they ripen - unlike the black elderberry.

• 'Sutherland Gold': Fern-leaved golden elder; upright, bushy growth; golden-yellow foliage; Flowering period: late April to late May; white flowers; Red fruits; 2 - 3 m high
• ′ Plumosa ′: severely incised leaves; Red fruits; 2 - 3 m high
• ′ Plumosa Aurea ′: Fern-leaved golden elder; bushy growth; Leaves severely incised; Foliage first purple, then yellow; Red fruits; 2 - 3 m high

Dwarf elder

The dwarf elder is also called perennial elder, attich and sometimes wild elder. This is an herbaceous species that only reaches heights of about two meters compared to the shrubby species of the elder. Its flowers bloom between June and July in white to light pink and have an intense fragrance. The leaves of the dwarf elder are larger than those of the species described above. They become about eight inches long and are roughly toothed.

Planting elderberries: tips for the garden and balcony

The elder feels at home in a sunny or partially shaded location as well as in the shade. It is a very undemanding plant and thrives in almost any soil. However, it feels particularly at home on moist, humus-rich and calcareous soils. The optimal time to plant is in autumn or at the beginning of spring. You can find more information and practical tips on planting the elderberry bush in our special article on the Elderberry plants.

Care for elderberries

The elder is a very easy to care for and frugal wood and does not require any complex care.

Pour elderberry

After planting, the elder should be watered regularly so that it forms many roots and grows well. Older plants, on the other hand, hardly need to be watered, they can withstand longer periods of drought without any problems.

Fertilize elderberry

When planting the elder, you should fill the soil in the planting hole with compost or a slow release fertilizer - such as our mainly organic Plantura organic universal fertilizer - enrich. When it has grown, the elderberry bush does not need any further fertilizers.

Regular pruning is necessary in order to keep the elder bush in shape and to prevent the wood from aging quickly. You can find out how to do this in our special article on cutting elderberry.

Propagate elderberries

The reproduction of elderberry succeeds in different ways. The sowing of elderberry seeds is very laborious and tedious. Cuttings or cuttings are much easier. When propagating by cuttings, shoots that are 10 to 15 centimeters long are cut at the end of June have at least one pair of leaves at the top and already slightly lignified at the bottom should. All leaves and flower bases except for the upper leaves are removed and the cuttings then about three centimeters deep in a container with potting soil, such as ours peat free Plantura organic herb & seed compost, plugged. Place the containers with the cuttings in a bright place away from direct sunlight and always keep the soil moist so that the cuttings can form roots and grow.

Propagation by cuttings works in a similar way, but the cuttings are only cut in late autumn or winter. During this time the elderberry bush is in hibernation. Cut shoot pieces about ten centimeters long that have a few buds at the top. Put the sticks deeper into the earth than when propagating cuttings. Only about three centimeters should protrude from the earth. Overwinter the cuttings in a light, frost-free place and keep the soil moist.

Is Elderberry Poisonous?

All three types of elderberry named here are poisonous. Your plant parts contain poisonous hydrogen cyanide glycosides such as sambunigrin. It is released in gaseous form when the leaves are crushed or the shoots are injured. The poison can cause headaches, diarrhea and vomiting, among other things. The black and the red elder are considered to be slightly toxic, whereas the red elder has a higher content of toxic substances. The dwarf elder is the most poisonous of the three types of elder and should not be consumed under any circumstances. Therefore, be careful not to confuse the types of elderberry before harvesting the fruits.

While elderflower is processed into elderflower syrup or the like without special treatment and can then be consumed, the ripe elderberries must first be processed and consumed be heated. You should therefore not eat unripe and raw fruits, as the toxic substances are only rendered harmless by heat treatment. It should be noted that the kernels in the fruits of the red elder are still poisonous even after exposure to heat and should be removed before consumption.

If you are interested in the various uses of elderberry, you can read our special article on the subject of "Harvest and use elderberry" Continue reading.

Not only we humans enjoy the elderberry and its products, birds are also happy about its fruits. You can find out which other plants you can use to make your garden bird-friendly and in which bushes birds feel particularly comfortable in our special article about native shrubs for birds.