# How to Grow Sambucus Nigra
Sambucus nigra, or blue elderberry, occurs naturally across western North America from Canada to Mexico. It is a large shrub or small tree with a shrubby growth habit of erect stems that arch slightly toward the tip. Gardeners sometimes grow Sambucus nigra for use as a hedging plant and for its small, edible berries, which appear in summer and persist until early fall. Growing Sambucus nigra is very easy since the seeds sprout readily and require little care as they mature, but the plants are somewhat slow-growing and take as long as one year before they are ready to be planted in the ground.
Things You'll Need
- Gloves
- Mesh colander
- 2-inch-deep seedling tray
- Garden soil
- Coarse sand
Instructions
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1
Put on gloves before gathering Sambucus nigra berries since the flesh will stain skin. Grab handfuls of berries and gather them in a mesh colander. Crush the berries while running water into the colander. Collect the seeds from the bottom of the colander.
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2
Fill a 2-inch-deep seedling tray with equal measures garden soil and coarse sand. Mix the components until thoroughly combined. Mist the soil with a spray bottle until it feels moist 1/4 inch below the surface.
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3
Sprinkle the Sambucus nigra seeds across the surface of the soil. Pat the soil to anchor the seeds. Spread a scant, 1/16-inch layer of coarse sand over the seeds.
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4
Place the seedling tray in a ventilated cold frame for the winter. Mist the soil lightly whenever the top 1/4-inch dries out completely.
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5
Watch for germination the following spring around mid-April. Transplant the seedlings into individual containers filled with garden soil in early summer once they bear several sets of mature foliage.
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6
Place the potted Sambucus nigra seedlings under dappled shade during the summer months. Water each seedling regularly to keep the soil from drying out in the top inch.
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7
Move the Sambucus nigra plants against a south-facing wall for the winter. Withhold all supplemental water unless no rain falls for longer than three weeks.
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8
Transplant the Sambucus nigra out into a sunny or partially shaded bed the following spring once temperatures reach 68 degrees F during the day and all danger of frost has passed.
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