Native Shrubs of Prince Edward Island
Red-Berried Elder (Sambucus pubens)

Description:
Although easily confused with common elder, the red-berried elder has much larger buds and stouter twigs. It tends to be somewhat taller and stockier, growing up to 12 feet (3.7 m) high. Small, creamy flowers give way to cone-shaped clusters of small scarlet berries in June and July. Fruit is thought to be poisonous. Bark is light brown and covered with what appear to be warts. Buds are opposite and the largest of all our native shrubs.

Red-berried elder (Sambucus pubens) flower.

Growing Conditions:
This elder thrives on fairly dry sites and is very intolerant of flooding. It is common along the edges of newly bulldozed forest roads or the sunnier edges of woodlands. Red-berried elder tolerates some shade but achieves best growth and fruit production in full sun.

Red-berried elder fruit.

Propagation:
Can be grown from cuttings, using the same methods as described for the common elder. Because it is quite common along forest roads, large numbers of young plants can often be transplanted. This can be difficult because of the deep, fibrous roots, but with some care and top pruning they survive quite well. Again, growing from seed is fairly easy due to the large numbers of seed produced. Collect when scarlet in July and early August. Germination will take place after the second spring and percentages can be low. Plant seeds 1/2 inch (13 mm) apart. Since the seeds are so easy to collect, try planting some at several different stages of ripeness, before they turn dark scarlet. This may speed up germination significantly and give you a higher success rate.

Wildlife Uses:
Berries are a preferred food of ruffed grouse, American robin, Swainson's thrush, veery, cedar waxwing and rose-breasted grosbeak. Red-berried elder is also extensively used by many other birds for both food and cover. Red squirrel, chipmunk, skunk, raccoon, snowshoe hare and red fox also eat the berries. Red-berried elder often grows near fox dens, providing cover and food. In winter, ruffed grouse feed on the buds and snowshoe hare browse the twigs.

Areas of Usage:
As described earlier, it makes an excellent companion in plantings of common elder around the home. Flocks of cedar waxwings often arrive to devour the entire seed crop and it is worth planting red-berried elders just to attract these birds to your home. This plant is well suited to windbreaks and forest edges. On drier sites, red-berried elder is a better choice than common elder. It is sensitive to salt, so avoid planting it along shorelines and roadsides where salt spray occurs.

From the Nursery:
The Macphail Woods operates a native tree and shrub nursery and offers many native trees and shrubs at affordable prices. Check out:

• Macphail Woods Nursery Catalogue
• Why Plant Native Shrubs?
• Growing Native Shrubs
• How to Plant Trees and Shrubs
• Tips on Transplanting



Red-berried elder leaf and fruit.



Red-berried elder winter twig.

This series of webpages is based on the booklet "Native Shrubs of Prince Edward Island Growing and using fifteen favorite shrubs for: wildlife enhancement, erosion control, windbreaks, landscapes and much more" written by Gary Schneider. If your interested in receiving a hardcopy of this booklet, please see our publications page.

We offer a number of workshops and guided tours at the Macphail Woods and it is an opportunity to learn more about PEI native shrubs. Check out the Events Calendar for more information. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.

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