Hardy Edibles

Adoxaceae

American elder

Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis

American elder

Photo: Unknown — CC BY 2.5 · source

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Survives zone 3 through 9

⚠ Elder MUST BE COOKED (raw berries/leaves/stems toxic). Highbush cranberry musty when overripe — pick slightly under and cook.

Hardiness
Zone 3 to 9
Habit
Shrub
Edible part
Leaf, Fruit
Ripens
Aug–Sept
Mature size
Shrub 2–4 m; containerable when young
Light
Full sun to partial — best production 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 PARTNER — plant 2 cultivars