| | Plant characteristics | Site preference | Hardiness | Uses | Problems | Diseases | Insects | Pruning
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Scientific Name: Sambucus racemosa L.
Plant Characteristics
Red elder is a tall-growing, deciduous shrub growing to a mature height of 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft), a spread of 2.5 m (8 ft), and an annual growth of 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in.). The six - year - old and older wood should be removed to promote vigorous growth of the shrub.
Bark - Thin, light reddish-brown, with narrow, intersecting scaly ridges. Wood has corky brown pith.
Flowers - Flowers small, in cream-coloured clusters 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in.) across, appearing in late May or early June.
Fruit - Small, but the bright red clusters are quite showy. They appear in July or August, and turn black with frost.
Leaves - Leaves are opposite, 4 to 8 cm (1.5 to 3 in.) long, compound pinnate, with 3 to 7 ovate to elliptic leaflets. Sharply and coarsely serrate. Leaflets nearly sessile. Propagated by seed.
Site Preference
Red elder will grow under a wide variety of soil conditions, it can survive drought conditions and it can withstand some shade.
Hardiness
Sensitive - it might experience some winter damage.
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Uses
Screen planting, shelterbelt, and sometimes used as a small single - or multi-stemmed tree.
Red elder can be planted 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 ft) between plants in the row, and 5 to 8 m (17 to 26 ft) between rows.
Problems
Winter dieback above snowline.
Diseases
Crown rot.
Insects
Aphids.
Pruning
Removal of older and winter injured wood.
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Shelterbelts Varieties for Alberta provides information on a number of other trees and shrubs than may be suitable for shelterbelts.
For information about planning shelterbelts and choosing varieties, contact your local PFRA office or visit PFRA's home page.
For more information about Red Elder for use in shelterbelts, call your local nursery or visit the Alberta Sheltberbelt Program page on the Marketland web site. |
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