Adams Elderberry

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

8-10 Feet

Mature Spread

8-10+ Feet

Growing Zones

3 to 8

The Adams Elderberry is a striking deciduous perennial. The shrub is covered in dark green foliage that comes to a point and has serrated edges, and by June, the plant will be dotted by bunches of creamy white flowers. By late summer, the flowers give way to clusters of small dark blue to almost black fruit. The Sambucus canadensis Adams is native to North America, and it is tolerant of most conditions found within USDA zones 3 through 8, making it relatively easy to grow.

Use this impressive shrub as a specimen or to create a hedge. At 8 to 10 feet tall and wide, this plant can create a slight privacy screen during the growing season, especially when several are planted in a row. The flowers and berries attract butterflies and birds, making this plant a great option to include in a butterfly garden. 

Adams Elderberry Care

The Adams Elderberry prefers full sun to partial shade. This plant is forgiving and can handle most soil types, but use moist, rich soil that is neutral to acidic for best results. While this plant likes damp conditions, standing water is not good, so the soil should promote drainage, and the area should not be prone to flooding. Water when the top couple of inches of soil is dry. The Adams Elderberry has a shallow root system and will generally need 1 to 2 inches of water per week during the growing season.

Amend the soil with organic compost when planting and top-dress the soil each year to provide extra nutrition. Feed the plant using balanced, slow-release fertilizer to ensure maximum flower and berry production during the spring. Remove damaged growth as necessary. Older branches will not produce as many flowers and can be trimmed back to promote new growth. Suckers can be cut back to clean up the look and refocus energy into new growth.

Adams Elderberry Spacing

The Adams Elderberry is a large upright shrub that can reach 8 to 10 feet tall and equally wide. Plants grown as a specimen or focal point should be spaced 6 to 7 feet from other plants and buildings. Create a full hedge or mass planting by spacing plants 4 to 5 feet apart.