Sambucus nigra is a deciduous shrub that responds well to pruning in late winter or early spring, and it requires pruning at least once each year.

When should you prune Sambucus nigra?

Prune in late autumn or early spring for the best results. Also, some gardeners recommend pruning hard in spring every three years or so to encourage optimum growth.

How fast does Sambucus nigra grow?

They are fast growing, often putting on 2ft to 3ft in the first year and twice that in the second, and happy on a range of soils, be they heavy or light, acid or alkaline.

How do you prune black elders?

If you're growing elder as a shrub, prune it back annually to maintain its shape. Prune hard – down to a few stumps in the ground – for the best results. New stems bear bigger, better coloured leaves than those left unpruned.

Can elderberry bushes be trimmed?

During the first two seasons, elderberry plants should be encouraged to grow vigorously with little to no pruning required. After the second year, pruning should be done annually in early spring. All dead, broken and weak canes should be removed.

Easy Sambucus / Elder Pruning - annual prune & rejuvenating pruning

16 related questions found

When should elderberry trees be pruned?

Elderberry Pruning

Selective Pruning: Prune in late winter before the buds begin to grow. All canes that are broken, dead or over 3 years old should be removed, leaving only six to 10 canes per bush. The excised canes should be buried away from living elderberry bushes.

Is Sambucus nigra Black Beauty Evergreen?

1 X Sambucus NIGRA 'Black Beauty' Black Elder Evergreen Shrub Plant in Pot.

Is Sambucus nigra good for wildlife?

Value For Wildlife

Sambucus nigra attracts a lot of wildlife including the elder aphid (and of course ladybirds), and at least a dozen moths use it as a food plant. Small mammals eat the berries and flowers, which also attract a range of pollinators.

How do you prune Sambucus Lemony Lace?

Responds well to hard pruning each spring while dormant. Cut back older stems to the ground and one-year old wood by 1/2. Remove suckers at the base as they appear. Sambucus blooms on old wood.

Is Sambucus nigra deciduous?

Noted for its dramatic foliage, award-winning Sambucus nigra Black Lace® (Elderberry) is a large, upright, deciduous shrub adorned with a striking lacy foliage of deeply dissected, purple black leaves from spring to fall. ... Best foliage color when grown in full sun.

Is Sambucus nigra poisonous to dogs?

Elderberries (Sambucus nigra)

The ripe black berries themselves are very nutritious and safe for your dog, but be aware that the leaves, stems, unripe fruit and the root are all poisonous to both dogs and humans as they contain cyanide, albeit in very small quantities.

Will Sambucus grow in shade?

Where to plant Sambucus. Elders will grow well in any soil that is not prone to waterlogging. They like sun or partial shade.

Can black lace elderberry be kept small?

* Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, but can be kept smaller with annual early-spring pruning. Don't hesitate to make a few in-season snips if it starts get too rangy for your taste.

How do you prune elderberry bushes?

Growing with loose, arching canes, elderberries require pruning and trimming to keep the shrubs dense and to improve fruit production.

1. Remove 4-year-old canes by cutting them back to the ground during the dormant season. ...
2. Cut broken, dead or weak canes at the base to remove them from the bush.

How do you care for elderberries?

Elderberries prefer moist, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5, but these adaptable plants can perform in many types of soils. Give them full to part sun. Add good organic matter to the hole when you plant, and feed with 10-10-10 fertilizer or compost each year in early spring.

Do elderberry bushes lose their leaves in the winter?

Sambucus, or elderberry, are deciduous shrubs or trees and it isn't unusual for them to begin dropping leaves in late summer and early autumn, even before the weather cools off. ... The elderberry plants in my yard began losing leaves in mid-August and will be completely bare by the end of September.

Should elderberry be cut back in the fall?

Pruning an elderberry shrub is a fairly simple task and should take place in winter when the plant is dormant. ... When trimming elderberry plants, remove any dead, broken, or noticeably low-yield canes from the shrub at the trunk with the shears. Canes that are over three years old go next.

How do you stop elderberry from spreading?

Why Elderberry Farmers Prune their Elderberry Bushes

1. To prevent plants from spreading and keep control of the height of the plant.
2. To have more cuttings to sell. ...
3. To help control any pests that have laid eggs on the stem of the elderberry, this means removing all debris from the field.

How do you keep elderberry small?

If you don't need to control elderberry size, the main reason to prune is to remove old stems, which makes your elderberry shrubs appear healthy and dense. To maintain your elderberry bushes, remove dead and broken canes along with canes that are more than three years old during the dormant period in late winter.

How tall does sambucus grow?

Sambucus nigra Black Lace is very easy to grow, and adaptable to most sites. Full sun is needed for the best leaf colour. Left to grow fully it will reach 2.5m (8ft) in height, but can also be pruned back each year to fit into more formal settings.

What is the difference between black lace and black beauty elderberry?

Unlike Black Beauty whose leaves are sharply oval-shaped, compound, and subtly serrated, the foliage of Black Lace is multi-lobed and finely cut in a texture reminiscent of lace when viewed from afar.

When can I move a sambucus?

The best time to move a deciduous shrub or small tree like your Sambucus is in late autumn once leaves have dropped but before the ground freezes OR in spring before new growth resumes (though this might delay/reduce flowering).