How to prune elderberry (Sambucus): practical guide

Why prune elderberry

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra and relatives) grows fast and wild. Neglected, your shrub becomes dense and unproductive. With regular pruning, you create an open, vital shrub that bears many large berries. Elderberry is also very tolerant of pruning, so you can be aggressive.

Elderberry fruits on one-year-old wood, so you constantly want to encourage young growth. This is different from fruit shrubs like apple: elderberry loves hard pruning.

Elderberry growth: what you need to know

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) grows fast, often 1-2 metres per season. It becomes a large, broad shrub 3-4 metres tall. This is its strength but also its challenge: without pruning it grows dense and uncontrollable.

Elderberry bears berries on shoots from last season. Because you constantly remove old wood, you force the plant to make new young shoots, which bear better than old wood.

Spring pruning (March-April)

This is your main pruning. Elderberry is pruned in March-April as it leafs out.

Step 1: Remove dead and diseased

Cut all dead, frost-killed, or sickly wood away. Dead wood looks like dry, brittle brown stems.

Step 2: Remove 50% of the oldest wood

This is the secret of elderberry: remove LOTS of old wood. Cut at least 50% of the thickest, oldest shoots (thicker than your thumb, older than 2-3 years) entirely to the base. This stimulates explosive growth of young wood from below.

Step 3: Cut all thin, weak shoots back

All shoots thinner than your pinky finger, cut back to roughly 20-30 cm high. This stimulates strong upright shoots.

Step 4: Check height

Do not prune your shrub taller than 2-2.5 metres. More is not needed and makes harvesting harder.

Step 5: Ensure open structure

At least 40% of your shrub should be empty. Elderberry regrows dense quickly.

Summer care (May-July)

In May-June your elderberry grows constantly. You may lightly prune if shoots grow outside your form. Nip gently.

Look at your flowers. Elderberry blooms mostly on young wood. Expect many white or pink flowers around May-June.

Fruiting and thinning (May-August)

Elderberry bears many small berries in clusters. If you see a lot, you may gently remove some clusters. This gives larger berries. But elderberry is so productive you do not need to do this.

In July-August heavy-laden branches may droop. Gently cut these back to roughly 40-50 cm above the lowest fruit.

Autumn inspection (September-October)

By October, look at your shrub. Note which limbs you will prune next March. Check for diseases.

Frequently asked questions

My elderberry won't flower, why?

Elderberry blooms almost always, even in shade. Possible causes: (1) Poor nutrition - elderberry loves compost. Give lots of mulch in March. (2) Too wet in winter. Ensure drainage. (3) Very young plant (year 1) flowers less.

How long before harvest?

Year 1: almost nothing. Year 2: maybe some clusters. Year 3+: 2-5 kg per plant, depending on growth and pruning.

Can I cut my elderberry back hard?

Yes! Sometimes necessary. Cut everything back to roughly 30-40 cm above ground. The plant regrows explosively, usually in one season. You miss one season of fruit but then get very strong growth.

Which cultivars are good?

"Black Lace" (dark pink flowers, black fruit, beautiful leaf) - very popular. "Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis" (American elderberry) - sturdier. "Aurea" (yellow leaf) - decorative. All bear berries.

My elderberry gets mildew, what now?

Ensure air. Remove overhanging leaves. Cut all shoots touching each other. Elderberry is strong against mildew, so you do not need to do much.

Step-by-step

Step 1: Plant it

Plant your elderberry in March in full sun. Give lots of compost.

Step 2: First pruning (year 1, March)

Cut all thin, weak shoots back to 20-30 cm. Remove dead wood.

Step 3: Second pruning (year 2, March)

Remove 50% of the oldest wood to base. Cut all weak shoots back.

Step 4: Third pruning (year 3, March)

Keep removing 50% old wood every season. Check height (max 2.5 metres).

Step 5: Harvest and prune

July-August: harvest berries. September: inspect. March: prune again.

Small cultivar preferences

Black Lace: Modern, popular, dark pink flowers, beautiful leaf. Black fruit.

Canadensis: Sturdier, larger berries, American type. Less decorative leaf.

Aurea: Yellow leaf (summer). Red fruit. Decorative. Good in shade.

Nigra: Classic. Black fruit. Somewhat susceptible to Australian fungi.

Tips for success

• Elderberry loves moist, nutrient-rich soil
• Water regularly, especially first season
• Give lots of compost in March (5-10 kg per plant)
• Prune aggressively - elderberry recovers fast
• Harvest in July-August when berries are black
• Net your berries; birds love them

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