Yellow elderberry is considered the gem within the multi-faceted elderberry species. Originating from the well-known black elderberry, this subspecies scores with enchanting attributes and a robust constitution. The following plant portrait conveys the exciting details.
What is special about yellow elderberry?
Yellow elderberry is a subspecies of black elderberry, which is characterized by golden yellow pinnate leaves, white flowers and red berries. The easy-care, frost-hardy shrub prefers humus-rich, fresh soil and sunny to semi-shady locations.
A spectacular appearance
Yellow elderberry attracts everyone's attention in the garden with bright white flowers in summer above golden yellow pinnate leaves that turn decoratively green inwards. In autumn, sensual red berries with a wonderful aroma follow. This creates impressive color contrasts that are particularly effective over dark garden soil or against a shady woody backdrop. The bright red fruit covering from September creates additional drama in the visual appearance. An overview:
- Growth height 250 to 300 centimeters
- Growth width 150 to 250 centimeters
- loose, bushy, branched habit
- Old age with arching overhanging branches
A whole guy in every garden
The frost-hardy yellow elderberry thrives in any good garden soil. Here he likes humus-rich, fresh soil and is not averse to a little lime. At the same time, sandy and dry conditions don't bother it, making it a magnificent solitaire for the rock garden. As long as it is assigned a location in full sun to partial shade, it will develop its majestic beauty without extensive care requirements.
Useful care tips
So that the yellow elderberry - also called Canadian elderberry - has its magnificent foliage and fruit decoration every year, there are only a few care aspects that need to be taken into account. The following tips summarize all the essentials:
- Enrich the potting soil generously with compost and horn shavings (€52.00 on Amazon)
- water young elderberries thoroughly until they grow
- water established yellow elderberry in dry conditions
- annual pruning in autumn maintains vitality
- cut worn fruit shoots and leave young canes standing
A yellow elderberry can also be easily trained into a small tree. This has the advantage that even small gardens do not have to do without this decoration. In winter, stick an unrooted stick 1 meter long into the ground. As growth progresses, all side branches along the main shoot are consistently removed up to the height of the crown base.
Tips & Tricks
Yellow elderberry is ideal for cultivation in a bucket. Since the tree is extremely easy to cut, you can easily keep it at the desired height. Because it is resistant to constant wind, Canadian elderberry serves as a decorative protective green plant on the balcony and terrace.
