How Tall are Elderberry

Most famous for the use of their berries in making Elderberry Wine, Elderberry bushes are grown for cultivation on farms and also as decorative and practical accents in many home gardens.

The American Elderberry bush will grow, in its most mature state, into a rounded bush reaching eight to ten feet high and wide. Elderberry trees however, can reach up to 20 feet. That is good information to have if you’ve been thinking about planting an Elderberry bush on your property. They do require a good amount of space so you will want to plan for that before putting them into the ground.

Elderberry bushes not only add a nice, ornamental detail to your garden, but when they grow tall and mature, will produce sweet, plump berries that can be used for pies, jams, juice and wine. They are also grown commercially for the cultivation of their sweet, purple berries, however you wouldn’t want to eat the berries right off the bush because uncooked, they have a sharp, unappetizing taste.

A self-defense mechanism that these bushes possess which enables them to grow tall and healthy, is that if their leaves get bruised, they release an unpleasant odor which is supposed to be offensive to most insects and birds. Some gardeners even sprinkle crushed Elderberry leaves over their plants and flower buds to deter insect infestation.

Healthy Elderberry bushes send up several new shoots each year. These new shoots grow to their fullest height in only one season. During their second year, the new shoots will send out several other side branches enabling the bushes to become full and reach their most mature height. The older trunks become weak after about two years and should be removed, and although they produce new canes every year, they still require very little pruning.

#RSSFeedData4#

© Copyright Mark Saville reprint prohibited.