Elder Canadian

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Canadian elder (Latin Sambucus canadensis) - berry, medicinal and decorative culture; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. The second name is American elderberry. It grows in areas with moist and nitrogen-rich soil from North America, sometimes in Mexico. Introduced into culture back in 1761.

Characteristics of culture

Elderberry Canadian, or American - deciduous shrub or small tree up to 4-5 m high. It differs from other representatives of the genus in the unusual structure and shape of the bush, as well as in the presence of yellowish-gray shoots, completely covered with large leaves. Leaves are compound, feathery, opposite, up to 30 cm long. The flowers are small, numerous, five-petalled, yellowish-white, have a pleasant aroma, collected in large umbellate or racemose inflorescences up to 25 cm in diameter.

Fruits are globular, dark purple or black, shiny, up to 5 mm in diameter, edible. It should be noted that flowers are also edible, they are often used in folk medicine. The rest of the plants are poisonous, they contain calcium oxalate, a substance that is the strongest toxin. The Canadian elderberry is shade-tolerant and boasts fast growth. Negative to treat dry air, does not like heat. Prefers well-moisturized soils. It has the ability to enrich the soil with nitrogen. The plant grows from the first decade of May to the second decade of October.

It blooms in the third year after planting. Flowering lasts about 10 days. Sometimes flowering occurs a second time, as a rule, this phenomenon occurs in August. The Canadian elderberry also begins to bear fruit in the third year. The fruits ripen in September - October. Propagated mainly by cuttings, the rooting rate of cuttings is 80-90%. The seed method is also acceptable, but gives poor results, the germination rate of seeds does not exceed 25-30%. In appearance, the species under consideration is similar to the black elderberry (the most common species). The differences between the species are only in the color of the fruit and the number of leaves.

Currently, Canadian elderberry has several forms used in ornamental gardening and are particularly attractive:

* f. acutiloba (sharp-bladed) - the form is represented by graceful shrubs with strongly dissected foliage, and the upper leaves are narrow-lanceolate and sharp-serrate, the lower ones are pinnate;

* f. chlorocarpa (green-fruited) - the form is represented by shrubs with beautiful yellowish-green foliage and green fruits, it is considered one of the most attractive forms, especially attractive during flowering and fruiting;

* f. maxima (largest) - the form is represented by large shrubs with large foliage and huge inflorescences, which reach 40-45 cm in diameter;

* f. aurea (aurea) - the form is represented by slender shrubs up to 3 m high with golden yellow foliage, large and fragrant umbellate inflorescences and dark cherry fruits.

Features of cultivation

As mentioned, Canadian elderberry is unpretentious, but it develops better on moist, acidified, fertile substrates. It easily tolerates minor flooding, and this, despite the fact that the root system of plants is superficial. The species in question, unlike its close relative, the black elderberry, is more winter-hardy and wind-resistant, it can be used for urban landscaping. Also, plants are often used to create hedges and decorative fences that can give any area a refined look.

Many gardeners call the Canadian elderberry a weed, since shrubs, when untimely pruned, quickly grow and form dense, difficult-to-pass thickets, while displacing nearby growing crops. Lighting for Canadian elderberry should be good, although shrubs will feel good in the shade, although some forms in the shade lose their decorative foliage color. Elderberry can grow without problems in areas in direct sunlight.

The culture has a negative attitude to drought, during a long absence of precipitation it needs watering. To retain moisture at the roots, it is recommended to mulch the soil at the foot of the shrub with sawdust, bark or straw. To activate the growth of shrubs, top dressing is required, this procedure is carried out once a year, while applying mineral and organic fertilizers. Fertilizers are not prohibited to be applied both in diluted and in solid form. It is better to carry out this operation in early spring, scattering fertilizers directly over the melting snow.

Pruning is carried out annually in the spring. Weak, sick, damaged, frozen and old shoots over 6 years old are removed from shrubs. You should be careful with 3-4-year-old shoots, since they are fruiting and give good yields of berries.