{"id":10126,"date":"2021-09-08T06:50:16","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T06:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=10126"},"modified":"2021-12-02T10:32:03","modified_gmt":"2021-12-02T10:32:03","slug":"how-to-find-elderberry-bushes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-find-elderberry-bushes\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Find Elderberry Bushes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have been a massive advocate of the humble elderberry for many years, never suffering from flu while taking it each winter. American elderberry grows easily in many parts of North America and Canada, while European elderberry is common across much of Europe. In this article, we will see how to find elderberry bushes and ensure you don\u2019t mix them up with something more deadly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do Elderberries Grow Naturally?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Where<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are several different species of Elderberry<\/a>, but here we will be looking at the American Elderberry, a native shrub often found in wet areas such as streams and marshes and in damp forests or places that have been disturbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elderberry plants can tolerate various soils, from dry to wet, but they prefer rich, damp, slightly acidic ones. They can grow in partial shade, below the tree canopy, or in full sun in hedgerows or beside streams and ponds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find Elderberry bushes across many states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Identify Elderberry Plants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although American elderberry [Sambucus  nigra  sbsp.  canadensis<\/em>  (L.)  R.  Bolli,  Adoxaceae] grows to 12 feet, European elderberry or black elder  [Sambucus  nigra  sbsp.  nigra<\/em>  (L.)  R.  Bolli], can grow to 20 feet. Both are woody shrubs that may have multiple trunks and spreading forms. This is how to identify elderberry plants:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are between 5 and 11 leaves per stem, one leaf at the tip with the rest growing opposite each other in pairs. The leaves are oval with a serrated edge leading up to the tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each leaf is bright green on the top and paler underneath and measures between 2 and 6 inches in length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bark<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bark on young plants is green and smooth with white dots. As the bush matures, the bark turns a gray-brown with vertical furrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you snap a branch, you will see the soft spongy pith that is easy to scrape out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flowers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first flowers appear in spring and early summer; they have a clustered form, consisting of many individual tiny flowers. They start with each individual flower tightly closed and forming tiny white-green balls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These open up to become first white and then creamy white flowers which are star-shaped and have five petals and yellow protruding stamens. It is common when looking at clusters for some of the flowers to be open while others are not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In late summer, you will begin to notice the young green berries forming on the shrub. Like the flowers, they are also in clusters, as they have been born of the pollinated flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each berry is approximately a \u00bc inch in diameter with a tiny brown patch on the end where the flower was. It is usual for the clusters of berries to droop downwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this video, you will see some different types of elderberry that are native to the United States and are being grown commercially. It lets you see clearly what the trees look like, their height, foliage, flowers, unripe and ripe berries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=I3gI_tuc1uQ<\/a>