Join the RHS

Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
  • If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.
  • Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.

 
  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Need more criteria? Try an advanced search
Back to search results

Sambucus nigra

common elder

© RHS 2002
Sold by 25 nurseries

  • Other common names common elder
    acte

    arn tree
    black elder
    boon tree
    boor tree
    bore tree
    bour tree
    bur tree
    elderberry
    European elder
    European elderberry
    pipe tree
    black elderberry

    see more

  • Family Adoxaceae

  • Genus Sambucus can be herbaceous perennials, deciduous shrubs or small trees, with pinnate leaves and umbels or panicles of small creamy-white flowers followed by red, white or black berries

  • Details S. nigra is bushy large shrub or small tree to 6m, with pinnate leaves turning pale yellow in autumn, flat sprays of fragrant cream flowers in early summer followed by small black berries

  • Plant range Europe N Africa SW Asia

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • Fragrance Flower

  • Toxicity All parts may cause discomfort if ingested although the berries can be edible if cooked

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or North-facing or East-facing or West-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilLoam, Sand, Clay, Chalk

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 4-8 metres

  • Ultimate spread 2.5-4 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Easy to grow in moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soils and also thrives on extremely chalky sites

Propagation Propagate by softwood or hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types Hedging & Screens Low Maintenance Wildlife Gardens Coastal

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1. Will tolerate hard pruning to restrict the size

Pests Can get blackfly and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases May be subject to verticillium wilt

Did you find the information you were looking for?

RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.

Join the RHS now

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.