Shrubs & garden character · Western North Carolina field companion

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Productive native screen; pair with another compatible cultivar for best fruit set.

Sun Exposure: Full sun–part shade
Mature Height (ft): 8–12
Mature Width (ft): 8–12
Bloom Season: Early summer

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Get to know this plant.

Sun Exposure

Full sun–part shade

Growth Habit

Large suckering

Mature Height (ft)

8–12

Mature Width (ft)

8–12

More growing details

Bloom Season

Early summer

Bloom Color

White

Evergreen / Deciduous

Deciduous

Native Status

NC native species; cultivar

WNC Notes

Productive native screen; pair with another compatible cultivar for best fruit set.

Drought Tolerance

Moderate

Wet-Soil Tolerance

High

Deer Resistance

Low–moderate

LOOK CLOSELY

Two views, a closer look.

Place two photographs beside one another. Compare the overall plant with leaves, flowers, or bark when those views are available. Captions identify what each photograph actually shows. Images are not at the same scale; species references may show different cultivars.

First photographSecond photograph

**American elderberry · Botanical detail**☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeBob Peterson ↗ · CC BY 2.0
Photo context
Resized and converted to WebP; complete composition retained.

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