Sambucus canadensis

Sambucus canadensis is a species of elderberry. They also call it the American Black Elderberry, Common Elderberry, or the Canada Elderberry. Other synonyms include Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis or Sambucus mexicana. It is from the Adoxaceae family of plants. It is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub. It is suckering. It is related to Sambucus nigra. It is native to North America.

Sambucus canadensis can grow to 3m or 10ft tall. The foliage is pinnate with up to nine leaflets. They are opposite and serrated. The flowers grow in large corymbs. They individual flowers are white and very small. The fruit is called elderberry. Elderberry is dark purple or black and grow in cluster.

The leaves, stems, seeds and the roots are all toxic. So it the fruit when ripe. Yet the flower called the elderflower is edible. The ripe fruit is also edible. They used the bark as insecticide.

How to grow Sambucus canadensis:

Grow Sambucus canadensis in the sun or partial shade. Plant it in medium-to-wet but well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant. And it is deer-resistant. Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer and hardwood cuttings in winter. They are generally pest and disease-free. Watch out for aphids and verticillium wilt.