// SPECIES PROFILE · SHRUB · NATIVE

Common elderberry

Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis

Common elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) is a shrub in the — family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO, OK. Hardy in zones 2a–13a. Mature size 10'–25'. Blooms Mar–May.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: —
Group: shrub
Native range: Native to 49 U.S. states, including AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT…
USDA hardiness: Zones 2a–13a
Mature size: 10'–25'
Sun: —
Water: Medium
Bloom: Mar–May
Wildlife value: Pollinator and wildlife support
Ecological role: native species profile

Common elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) — *Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis* — Common elderberry. Photo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Common elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) is a shrub in the — family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO, OK. Hardy in zones 2a–13a. Mature size 10'–25'. Blooms Mar–May.

Why it's on this list: native species profile. Native-range data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (NPIN), cross-checked against iNaturalist observations. Part of Rooted Revival's regional native plant catalog — true natives for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In the same native range, common elderberry pairs naturally with: Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra), Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris), Broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia).