Hardy Edibles

Adoxaceae

European black elder

Sambucus nigra

European black elder

Photo: Willow — CC BY 2.5 · source

2
3
4
5
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8
9

Survives zone 4 through 8

⚠ MUST BE COOKED — raw berries, leaves and stems are toxic. Cordial, wine, jam.

Hardiness
Zone 4 to 8
Habit
Shrub
Edible part
Leaf, Fruit
Ripens
Aug–Sept
Mature size
Shrub 3–5 m
Light
Full sun to partial — flowers and fruits best in full sun
Soil pH
5.5–7.0
Environment
Temperate
Status
Both wild and cultivated
Years to fruit
2–3 yrs
Pollination
Self-fertile but better with a 2nd cultivar