Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
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.
Adams Elderberry Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 3 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Part Sun to Full Sun (5+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 8-10 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 8-10+ Feet
- Growth Rate
- Fast
- Growth Habit
- , Upright
- Water Needs
- Consistently Moist
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , White
- Flower Description
- Creamy White
- Bloom Time
- Early Summer
- Blooms On
-
New Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Late winter to early spring, before new growth starts
- Harvest Time
- Late Summer
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Deep Green
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering, 3 Season Interest
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Adams Elderberry
- Botanical Name
- SAMBUCUS CANADENSIS 'ADAMS'
- Plant Type
- Shrub
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!