Sambucus nigra

Sambucus nigra

Common name: Elder, Common Elder, Black Elder

Description: This vigorous deciduous shrub is a British native treasure offering exceptional wildlife value and culinary potential. In early summer, the plant produces large, flat-topped clusters of creamy-white flowers with a distinctive sweet, musty fragrance that fills the air and attracts masses of beneficial insects. The flowers can be harvested for making traditional elderflower cordial or champagne. By late summer and autumn, heavy clusters of small, glossy black berries develop, providing abundant food for birds and can be used for making jams, wines, and syrups. The pinnate leaves emerge fresh green in spring and create a lush backdrop throughout the growing season. Elder has a fast-growing, multi-stemmed habit and tolerates hard pruning, making it suitable for informal hedging or managing in smaller spaces despite its natural vigour.

Other benefits: edible flowers and berries, fragrant flowers, exceptional wildlife value, fast-growing, tolerates poor soils, British native species, traditional hedgerow plant

Wildlife attraction: bees, butterflies, hoverflies, pollinators (flowers are highly attractive), birds including blackbirds and thrushes (berries), moths

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 4m x 3m (can be kept smaller with pruning)

Position: full sun to partial shade; flowers and fruits best in good light

Soil pH: highly adaptable; grows in neutral to alkaline soils; tolerates poor conditions

Moisture: moderate watering; prefers moist soil but tolerates a wide range of conditions once established

Winter hardiness: fully hardy to -25°C and below