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Sambucus nigra or Elderberry, is a very pretty shrub with many different uses in garden design. They’re a native tree so they fit beautifully with the natural landscape of the UK, and when given a chance they perform beautifully as a single specimen tree in a garden design. Tiny, white, scented flowers appear from late May, which are produced in large flat clusters up to 30cm across. After pollination, these are followed by darkly coloured small berries. Both the flowers and the berries can be used in cooking, but the berries are highly poisonous when consumed raw.
In the wild, Sambucus nigra is also a great environmental indicator with rabbit and badger populations. Rabbits avoid eating the bark and damaging young sapling allowing them to grow. And the seeds are spread in the droppings of both creatures.
Another interesting fact about these is in Celtic folklore they’re known as a symbol of protection against fae creatures and evil spirits. Perhaps every house should have one just in case!
Flowers: Fragrant cream flowers in early summer
Fruit: Small, edible black berries
Bark: Older bark is dark grey and ridged
Leaves: Deciduous, pinnate leaves turning pale yellow in autumn.
Autumn colour: Yellow
Ultimate height: 5m
Uses:
The Barn, Broadley Lane, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6RR
