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Semences de sureau du blanc - Sambucus canadensis
Semences de sureau du blanc - Sambucus canadensis
Semences de sureau du blanc - Sambucus canadensis
Semences de sureau du blanc - Sambucus canadensis
On sale

Seeds - Common Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

$4.50
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Categories: Shrub, Edible, Native, Medicinal, Nectar-rich, Keystone plant, Perennial, Bulk

Native range: MB, ON, QC, NB, PE, NS

For successful seedlings,
see the growing notes at the bottom of the page!

Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a robust native shrub, typically reaching between 1.5 and 3 meters in height. Its leaves are composed of serrated leaflets arranged oppositely along the stems. In summer, common elderberry produces large clusters of small, fragrant white flowers, which are highly attractive to pollinators. By late summer, these flowers transform into clusters of dark purplish-black berries, which are edible once fully ripe and cooked, adding a touch of colour and interest to naturalistic gardens.

Furthermore, native elderberry species (Sambucus spp.) are recognized as keystone plants for biodiversity in many North American ecoregions, as they support a wide variety of insects and birds that rely on their flowers, leaves, and fruits.

Medicinal and culinary uses
Common elderberry has diaphoretic, laxative, and expectorant properties. The flowers can be used in infusions to treat colds and fevers, while the berries, rich in vitamins A and C, can be cooked to make syrup, jam, and wine. It is essential to cook the berries before consuming them, as they contain slightly toxic compounds when raw.

Ecological roles
Common elderberry plays an important ecological role by providing food and habitat for various animals. The flowers attract many pollinators, including bees, while the berries nourish birds and small mammals in the fall. In addition to supporting biodiversity, this shrub helps stabilize soils, especially in riparian zones, thus contributing to erosion prevention.

 

Depending on the time of receipt, it is important to place the packet containing seeds in the refrigerator until sowing.

Common elderberry seeds require warm stratification followed by cold stratification to ensure germination. See the growing notes below for more details.

Akène cannot assume any responsibility for the use of plants for therapeutic purposes. Always seek advice from a professional before using a medicinal or edible plant.

Growing Notes | Seeds - Common Elderberry

Depending on the time of receipt, it is important to place the packet containing the common elderberry seeds in the refrigerator until sowing time.

Common elderberry grows in full sun or part shade and prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil.

Common elderberry seeds require a 60-day warm stratification period, followed by a 120-day cold and moist stratification period, to ensure germination.

The common elderberry seeds offered by Akène are sold in a sealed bag containing moistened vermiculite. The first warm stratification period began in mid-September. Depending on the month of receipt, they will therefore be at a different stage of the stratification process. Here is the schedule to follow to complete the dormancy cycle:

Mid-September: leave the bag at room temperature, away from light and in its original packaging.

Mid-November: place the same bag in the refrigerator for a cold stratification period of at least 120 days, or until sowing time. The seeds are ready to start indoors around mid-March. You can also start them outdoors once the risk of frost has passed in your area, keeping the bag in the refrigerator until sowing time. Check the seeds in your refrigerator from time to time to make sure they have not begun to germinate.

Sow the seeds about 5 mm deep in a well-drained substrate. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Germination of this species generally occurs after 15 to 20 days.

Transplant the seedlings into individual pots when the first true leaves appear, and then again into a 1-gallon pot in the spring. Grow them in containers throughout their first season before replanting them in the ground in the fall.

Seeds per packet: 25

Family: Viburnaceae

Scientific name: Sambucus canadensis

Life cycle: Perennial

Hardiness zone: 3

Soil type: Loamy to clayey

Soil moisture level: Medium to humid

Soil - additional attributes: Rich. Humusy. Well-drained.

Drought tolerance: Low

Light: Sun, part shade

Blooming: June

Spacing: 500 cm

Height: 300 cm

Deer resistance: Low

Stratification: Hot 60 days, then cold 120 days

Scarification: Sanding

Germination time: 15 to 20 days

Sowing depth: 5 mm

Reproductive system: Self-fertile hermaphrodite