A lack of a garden does not necessarily have to mean giving up home-grown elderberries. The ornamental and fruit tree also thrives in flower pots on the balcony. You can find out all the essential requirements for cultivation here.
Can you grow elderberry in a flower pot?
Elderberry in a flower pot is possible by choosing small, suitable varieties such as 'Black Tower', 'Aurea', 'Sutherland Gold' or 'Plumosa Aurea'. Nutrient-rich substrate, sufficient water, drainage and regular fertilization ensure optimal growth.
Recommended varieties for planters
With a height of 5 meters and a width of 4 meters, a majestic black elderberry will exceed the capacity of a flower pot within a short time. Not the following varieties, as they are shorter in stature or have an elegant columnar shape:
- Red-leaved elderberry 'Black Tower': growth height up to 250 cm, black-red leaves and violet-black berries
- Canadian golden elderberry 'Aurea': growth height up to 250 cm, golden yellow foliage and red elderberries
- Fern-leaved golden elder 'Sutherland Gold': growth height up to 200 cm, deep yellow pinnate leaves and red fruits
- Grape elderberry 'Plumosa Aurea': growth height up to 250 cm, green pinnate leaves and bright red stone fruits
It is obvious that a suitable flower pot should have a volume of at least 40 liters. Since all types of elderberry are very easy to cut, you can easily keep the dimensions of the fruit tree under control.
Planting and care tips
In terms of location conditions, elderberry proves to be pleasantly flexible. It particularly likes sunny to partially shaded lighting conditions. The substrate should be as nutrient-rich and loose as possible. Therefore, enrich commercially available potting soil (€10.00 at Amazon) a little with compost, perlite or sand. Drainage at the bottom of the pot above the water outlet is essential, because waterlogging destroys any hope of a magnificent elderberry in the flower pot.
When it comes to care, a few aspects come to the fore. Constant moisture is important, and the substrate surface should dry between waterings. If you let the potting soil dry out too much, your elderberry will shed its leaves indignantly. Since you rely on liquid fertilizer for pot cultivation, choose a commercially available preparation. Liquid compost or worm tea serve as an organic alternative.
Tips & Tricks
Did you know that elder flower pot is known to millions of television viewers in Germany in a completely different context? The popular 'reportages' of the sports show after the respective games of the soccer world championships in 2006, 2010 and 2014 were performed by the hip-hop band 'Blumentopf' with the band leader 'Holunder', alias Bernhard Wunderlich.
