We have a native Red Elderberry here by the house, I like it as an ornamental but don’t try to harvest anything from it, leave it for the birds. At the nursery bed I have 5 Samdal and one Samyl (polinator) - Sambucus Nigra from Nourse Farms. They’ve gone nuts and I don’t harvest from them so I’m getting rid of them. If anyone wants them come get them. Keep in mind these root crowns are BIG and HEAVY.
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That’s my approach. I keep an eye out for local wild ones with good production, large and well-filled clusters, less shattering, etc. There’s a lot of genetic diversity within Sambucus canadensis, so it pays to keep one’s eyes peeled; never know when you’ll find a good one! I’m starting trials of a couple I’ve found around here. The most promising, curiously, is harder to propagate than average: every cutting I tried last year—both dormant and green—failed, whereas others were easy as pie!
I suspect the interest in elderberry will abate a little eventually, but the plant, as cultivated specimen and wild forage, will likely never go away. And it never really has: I’ve seen elderberry pie and elderberry wine recipes in century-old regional newspapers. Those in the know will always appreciate the berries’ unique sweet-tart flavor in jellies, pies, etc. (I know I do! 
); moreover, the plant itself is handsome (especially in bloom), wildlife-beneficial, tolerant of an array of conditions and generally easy to grow. And though it’s no panacea, I do believe it has some medicinal benefits: we’ve used Sambucol (and generic equivalents) during flu seasons for several years now, and it does seem to help. (I’ll readily admit, of course, that this could be a placebo effect; if nothing else, you’re getting some extra vitamin C—and it tastes alright! 
)
One thing to look out for: invasive vinegar flies. SWDs wrecked many of the wild ones here last year; so if you live in an area where that’s a problem, you may have to take measures against them.
It will be interesting to experiment with pruning them, and a lot may depend upon the individual plant: I’ve read reports that not all varieties of S. canadensis will bear reliably on primocanes. Some of the literature recommends a pruning regimen somewhat like certain ribes: that is, keeping a balance of 1-, 2- and 3-year-old canes. The University of Kentucky notes that:
Complete renewal of all canes annually or biannually is an alternative method, though it can reduce yield the year that it is performed. Benefits of complete renewal over selective pruning may include larger, later ripening fruit clusters and a more concentrated harvest period with the possibility of greater harvest efficiency.
What works for one cultivar or one type of grower (say, backyard versus commercial) may not work best for another; climate—for instance, chill hours—and other local conditions (e.g., heavy SWD pressure against a late-ripening primocane crop) may also play a role . . . . Of course, there’s only one way to find out!
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Are elderberries the new 'Acai" berry?
I used to make pop guns out of the stems. (And spiles for tapping sugar maples).
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Add a bit of sugar and pectin…makes great JELLY!
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Fond memories.
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I used mine, skin seeds and all to make jam last year. It was great as an ice cream topping.
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Aronia is on Elderberry’s heels as far as ‘medicine’…
If Aronia wasnt called CHOKEBERRY…it might have a chance.
Aronia farmers are starting to pop up and thier claims of higher this and higher that is beginning to sway some of the ‘herbalists’.
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I tried propagating some wild from cuttings and failed… a few years back.
I think next time I will try… locating a nice wild one… flagging it… in the fall when harvesting berries… then while dormant… remove most of the growth above ground and simply dig it up getting as much of rootsys as possible… and plant it at my place in a nice bed.
Our county highway folks bushhog them down regularly… and they just keep coming back.
About a half mile from my house there are 30 40 wild ones growing on the highway ROW… on a steep hillside that does not get cut or sprayed.
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If the University of Missouri succeeds with their 5 million dollar grant, American Elder production and processing is about to take off. Here is one report about the grant
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Some reading material on a study done recently:
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I can vouch for how much birds are attracted to them. Every year I make a note to try harvesting some when they are ripe, and every year birds pick them clean the moment they change color. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen a ripe berry cluster, despite having dozens of clumps around the property.
I grow all kinds of berries, and birds seem to prefer the elderberries over everything.
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Has anyone found them to draw birds away from other kinds of berries?
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I think anyone that is into birds will be honest in saying that its a Pandoras Box.
Once you attract them…there are no rules.
Kind of like the Japanese Beetle Traps… pheromones to attract them…is not the best idea.
However… when it comes to Elderberries… i think they do prefer the smaller ones. In nature they are smaller… due to the fruiting of floricanes and the competition etc etc.
So perhaps they would choose a small elderberry over a large blackberry… but ripening times are not the same… And birds tend to be pretty smart when it comes to their foraging.
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Each year I pick flowers from blooming wild plants, strip flowers from stems, mix with 1:1 boiled sugar and water, add lemon zest, lemon juice, and a little citric acid. Sit for 2 days, strain, and bottle. Unique floral syrup to add to seltzer or white wine.
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Interesting that the $5 million research grant includes some medical research on how Elders may improve brain function in old folks.
"Researchers in the MU School of Medicine will be studying elderberry’s potential benefit to the aging brain using mouse models. The food science group will be pre-preparing elderberry products that will go into the diets of mice. Researchers will be looking at dementia, memory loss and other aspects of the aging brain to determine if elderberry supplements can maintain and even improve brain health as people grow older.
The project involves collaborations with many researchers across numerous disciplines at MU, but also with institutions across the country. Additional collaborators include the University of Minnesota, Savanna Institute, Kerr Center, North Carolina State University and Lincoln University."
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Interesting report! I noticed the researcher sprayed Mustang Max for SWD and Carbaryl for June bugs
I’m wondering if those chemicals are labeled for Elders?
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I’ve been making my own elderberry syrup for use in combating colds, etc., for years.
Early on in the COVID deal, I saw cautions put forward NOT to use it in COVID infections.
Don’t recall the source, but there’s been so much misinformation, lies, retraction of ‘absolutes’, and moving of goal posts from the ‘medical establishment’ as well as from some in ‘the opposition’, that I don’t know…
But, if I contract COVID, I believe I’ll be chasing my ivermectin with some elderberry syrup… both are safer than an acetominophen tablet.
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Breaking news: eggs are bad for you
Breaking news: eggs are great for you
Just ask your doctor if eggs are good for you, considering your particular medical history.
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I love elderberry, collect wild plants and have Bob Gordon, Ranch separate. Nova, York, Wyldewood got mixed up with wild ones when neighbors kids took labels. I might start those plants again so i know.
Eventually wine, syrups, flower syrup, jams. Not a virus suppressant…
The dreaded green goo is known! You can clean this by using lecithin (Pam spray) alone to emulsify, which can then be cleaned with normal dish detergent.
SWD can apparently be a problem. I worry more about bird stripping. I am growing enough to net some for me, and putting wild sticks everywhere near streams around my house.
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ive never seen a bird or bee on the flowers and fruit here. could be ive only found 1 wild elder in a logging road in the 10+ years ive known about them. in 1994 the U.S government sent a large shipment of elder juice to Panama to fight a flu epidemic there. ive had bob gorden , wylewood, johns and adams. the 1st 2 never ripened fruit here so i got rid of them. then stupidly put johns and adams to close to my expensive U of SK sour cherries so they had to go. i only got the 1 wild one but got a bunch of cuttings i traded for for wild ones from VA. going to try some of those for comparison. you need quite a bit of room to grow the commercial ones. they get 10-12ft high and 8ft. wide in 3 yrs here. my wild one is about 7ft. by 5ft. but produces half the fruit. taste is the same. in a soggy area id plant them in piles of dirt set on cardboard with 3-4in of mulch on that. keep the weeds away. they cant compete with any grass. once they get big enough, they shade it out but keep mulch around them for a few years.
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