American Elderberry Tree
Plant Size Guide
Elderberry Tree (Sambucus canadensis) Live Plant
Plant spacing: 1 plant every 8 feet
Sunlight requirements: 8-14 hours
Look out for: Elder shoot borer and aphids
Harvest notes: Prune to keep at harvestable height
USDA plant hardiness zones 4-11
Lifecycle: Perennial
Syrup made from the dark purple elderberry has long been popular as a folk remedy for colds with good reason. The berries are high in vitamin C, iron, bioflavonoids, essential fatty acids and antioxidants which strengthen the heart, improve circulation and boost skin health.
A warning from Jules, our resident herbalist: all fresh plant matter is mildly toxic and can cause nausea and or diarrhea. Even when using the berries and flowers, you want to ferment // apply heat to them before consuming.
Elderflowers are an excellent remedy for acute ailments like flus and fever. They’re diaphoretic, so they help promote sweating and perspiration. They reduce inflammation and are a diuretic, helping to eliminate toxins. Elderflowers have the ability to shorten the duration and severity of Flu symptoms. The flowers are also an anti-histamine meaning they can help relieve allergy symptoms.
Elderflowers are warmly fragrant and their naturally occurring yeast makes them well-suited for fermentation into sparkling wine. The flowers can also be brewed into a cordial by combining several handfuls of flowers with equal parts sugar and water, lemon juice and lemon zest. After boiling, allow the mixture to rest for several days before straining, then refrigerate. When harvesting elderflowers, collect them in the morning when they’re most fragrant, making sure to leave more than half of the flowers on the tree so they can mature into clusters of berries.
Elderberry trees are actually quite commonly found growing wild as “weeds” in ditches, swales, river banks and by roadsides because they love standing or moving water. These small trees can grow to about 12-15 feet tall and they spread through root suckers and runners so they can get a bit out of control if they are very happy in your yard. They can also be propagated easily from cuttings for this reason, just throw an 8 inch stem cutting into water and roots will burst out of the soft bark.
Delivery Details
Delivery Details
When you place your order we head into our greenhouse to select the very best plants we have in stock for your garden. We label them with handwritten compostable wooden labels and pack them in recyclable boxes to keep them safe on their journey. Our delivery partners, Roadie, take it from there and head to the Redlands to pick up your order. Communication and tracking take place via Roadie and your driver will leave your plants in a safe and covered area.
Plant Care
Plant Care
When your plant delivery arrives, make sure you water your new plants thoroughly with a light spray of water (none of this thumb over the hose stuff). We recommend planting them within 10 days of receiving them. If you do intent to wait to plant them, we recommend placing them in a shallow reservoir (like a baking pan) and filling it with half an inch of water so they can drink the water from below while you are at work and place them in an area with plenty of sun. When planting in your garden always add a dash of Organic granular fertilizer, and give them extra water during their first week in their new home, while they adjust. We recommend disturbing the root ball as little as possible during planting.
About Our Plants
About Our Plants
All of our plants are grown in OMRI certified Organic materials (potting mix, fertilizer, seeds, etc.) and include Organic granular fertilizer, living locally-made compost, and have been cared for with healthy microorganisms from compost tea and microbial inoculants. We only use organic pesticides when needed. We only stock varieties that we have experience growing and that are season and climate appropriate for South Florida. Our curated inventory is simple enough for a beginner and interesting enough to keep an advanced gardeners attention, with new and rare varieties being added weekly.
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Clients Love Us
"Smooth, seamless experience. Professional packaging and delivery. I have two healthy plants... life is good."
"What a wonderful experience. Great customer service, and so helpful with all my questions and very accommodating. Would definitely recommend and will be buying again in the future."
“Healthy foliage when this plant arrived, and pushed out a bloom less than two weeks after being planted. Excellent!”
"As always, awesome customer service, large healthy plants!! Thank you so much!!"
Now Little River Nursery & Little River Gardens
Two new names, one guiding vision; to empower people through food and ecology. For more information on our garden installation services visit the Little River Gardens website.