Pronounciation: Sam-BEW-kus ni-GRA ser-U-lee-ah
Hardiness zones:
Sunset 5-24
USDA 4-11
Landscape Use: Native riparian gardens, edible gardens, screen, background shrub or multiple trunk small tree.
Form & Character: Moderately upright and spreading, unbridled, informal.
Growth Habit: Deciduous (though nearly evergreen in mild climates), woody, broadleaf perennial large shrub or tree, 15- to 30-feet tall with less than equal spread.
Foliage/Texture: Leaves opposite, pinnately compound, 6- to 10-inches long, 5 to 9 leaflets, each 2- to 4-inches long and 0.5- to 1.5-inches wide, narrowly ovate or lanceolate, unequal at base, coarsely serrate, bright green; medium texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Flat, umbellated clusters of small white flowers in later spring followed by clusters or dark blue to purple fruit often with a whitish bloom, edible but not tasty.
Seasonal Color: Subtle flower color in mid to later spring, bluish purple fruit color in fall.
Temperature: Cold tolerant to -10oF, which means "no problemo" in Phoenix. However, blue elderberry can fry like potato slices in a French broiler when summer air temperaures rise above 115oF.
Light: Partial to full sun.
Soil: Tolerant
Watering: In Phoenix, responds best to regular water, but otherwise in higher elevation Arizona communities without extreme heat will tolerate much drought.
Pruning: None, except to control height by occasionally every few years heading back in February.
Propagation: Variable success from cuttings, realitively easy from seed.
Disease and Pests: None
Additional comments: Sambucus is a richly diverse genus with many species worldwide, but is not common in Phoenix landscapes though it grows surprisingly well. It is more often seen in Arizona communities at higher elevation.
Biochemical and Ethnobotanical factoids: The stems, bark, leaves and roots of all elderberry species contain cyanide-producing glycosides, and are therefore poisonous, especially when fresh. Only fully ripe berries should be consumed, and again, cooking the berries destroys the glycosides present in the seeds which can cause nausea and other gastro-intestinal upset. The dried flower stems are thought to repel insects and rodents. The processed (not fresh) bark and leaves have many medicinal uses from an antiseptic wash, to pain relief, treatment of common viral colds, and use as a laxative. Fruits are used to makes jams, jellies and wine.
Minor tidbit: Caerulea (cerulea) means dark blue.
