Elder
Elder: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
The name elder covers several species of the genus Sambucus, with different characteristics and uses. Gardens include deciduous shrubs and small trees, sometimes selected for ornamental foliage. European black elder, Sambucus nigra, is a familiar example, but the general name does not identify every plant. Fruit colour, growth habit and leaf details are among the features distinguishing species and selections. Culinary characteristics cannot therefore be assumed to be identical throughout the genus.Black elder grows rapidly and often has several main stems. It can reach several metres and occupy considerable space. Shoots contain pale pith, while older stems become woody. The opposite leaves are compound, divided into several leaflets with toothed edges. Their smell when crushed is quite different from the fragrance of the flowers. Horticultural forms may have purple, variegated or more finely divided foliage, giving them distinctive appearances even outside the flowering season.The small flowers of black elder gather…
