Adams Elderberry Bush

Sambucus canadensis 'Adams'

American Beauties®

Grow Your Own Medicinal Berries for Immune Support at Home
Cold Hardy: Thrives in Zones 3-9
Grows 8-10 ft Tall and Wide
Native, Pollinator-Friendly - Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Showy White Blooms From Early Spring to Late Spring

$74²⁶

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Plant Size

#3 Container

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: Give this shrub at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. While it can handle partial shade, you need full sun to get the heavy clusters of dark purple berries you are looking for. Too much shade usually results in a leggy plant with sparse blooms.
Soil: These plants love moist, fertile ground and are actually great for those lower spots in your yard that stay damp. They prefer slightly acidic soil. If you have heavy clay that drains poorly, consider mixing in compost or planting on a slight mound to prevent the roots from sitting in stagnant water, which can cause rot.

Watering Requirements

Consistency is key for juicy berries. During the first year, keep the soil evenly moist to help the shallow root system establish; this often means watering deeply once or twice a week depending on rainfall. While mature plants are surprisingly drought tolerant, inconsistent watering causes the fruit to shrivel or drop prematurely. If you want a big harvest, don't let them dry out completely in the summer heat.

Pruning Tips

Tackle pruning in late winter or early spring while the plant is still dormant. Adams Elderberry is best managed with "renewal pruning," which means removing the oldest, thickest canes (usually those over 3 years old) right down to the ground. This encourages the plant to send up vigorous new shoots that will produce better fruit. Think of it like clearing out the clutter to make room for fresh, productive growth.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a generous layer of compost around the base of the shrub in early spring as new green growth begins to appear. Avoid fertilizing late in the growing season (after July), as this can push tender new growth that won't have time to harden off before winter, leading to cold damage.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Cold hardy, Fast-growing, Native, Flowering, Wet Soils, Clay Tolerant, Edible, Attracts pollinators, Hedge/Screen
Hardiness Zone	4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Sunlight	Full sun
Height	8-10 ft
Width	8-10 ft
Watering Needs	High
Preferred Soil	Clay, Loamy, Peaty, Sandy
Growth Rate	Fast
Blooms In	Spring
Flower Color	White
Foliage Color	Green
Fragrant	Yes
Native	Yes
Pet Safety	Toxic to pets
Suitable Space	Outdoors
Botanical Name	Sambucus canadensis 'Adams'
Species	canadensis
Cultivar	Adams
Class	Magnoliopsida
Does Not Ship To	AK, HI, ID, MT, OR, PR

Make a great landscape choice with showy, hard-working Adams Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis 'Adams') flowering and fruiting shrubs. These native plants develop the revered medicinal berries we've all been buying at the health food store for lung and immune support!

Nothing could be easier to grow! This North American native cultivar develops quickly into a billowing, informal screen with wide, flat, creamy white flowers in spring! Butterflies adore these umbel inflorescence blooms, as they are easy to land on and gather nectar and pollen!

Some gather the flowers for rustic indoor arrangements or to prepare batter-fried fritters! The flowers have equally wonderful medicinal qualities and have been used to make tasty beverages! Plan to leave some of these honey-scented flowers so that later, they will become the highly sought-after clusters of dark purple berries!

Read how to prepare your harvest into antioxidant-rich tonics without artificial colors or flavors in our Garden Blog! Pick the entire cluster of fruit when fully ripe. You'll strip the berries to remove them from the bright stems. Cook them down to bring out the sweet flavor. Adams Elderberry berries are wonderful for wine, cordials, and jelly. Homecraft to your heart's content, or leave them for wild birds to forage in the fall.

Elderberries are recognized by the USDA Database for Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods as a superfruit because of their high concentration of vitamin C. Pick when at the darkest color, when Elderberries are high in Vitamin C and are used in many dishes including jams, preserves, pies, and syrups. It is also famous for making juice blends and the wonderful Elderberry Wine. Try your hand at your own medicinal syrups and tinctures, carefully following published recipes from reputable sources. Even the flowers are medicinal edibles!

Although Adams is self-fruitful, you'll get bigger harvests if you partner with York Elderberry or with a native species grown nearby for pollination. Any of the native Sambucus canadensis shrubs we offer will help produce more of the large Adams berries you crave for hand-crafted concoctions.

Planting and Application:

It's so easy to turn any lot into an Edible Landscape with these charming, low-maintenance shrubs! Highly adaptable, any sunny setting will be perfect for these forgiving shrubs that add a touch of cultivated wilderness to your garden!

Adams will grow into a rounded mound 8-10 feet tall and wide if left "au natural". However, you can also keep them much smaller with annual pruning. You can even create a small tree form with some trimming!

When left in their full and fluffy form, you'll love the airy screening and backdrops Elderberry provides throughout your landscape! Mix and match your Adams with the slightly larger York for naturalized thickets, bird and wildlife-friendly shelterbelts, informal privacy hedges, and windbreaks. Create an informal alternating hedge with several varieties at the back of your garden border.

Add to a Rain Garden to help filter rainwater runoff from roofs and streets before it hits the storm sewer. Likewise, just as drought-tolerant and xeric once established, Elderberry thrives in the Rock Garden!

Elderberry is also a great shrub to use as a useful border planting and backdrop to your landscaping beds and victory gardens. To create a solid screen, plant 4-5 feet apart on center. You'll measure from the center of one to the center of the next. You'll be so pleased to see how fast they fill in.

Fine-Textured Foliage
White Blooms in Late Spring
Vital For Pollinators & Bird-Friendly
Glossy Purple Berries Make Tasty Jam or Wine
Foliage Looks Great in Cut Flower Arrangements
Train Into A Tree Form & Great in Containers
Wonderful for Mass Planting, Hedges & Specimens

#ProPlantTips for Care:

In the wild, Elderberry naturalizes along streambeds, in moist woodland settings, in thickets, and along roadsides throughout the eastern part of North America. Keep Elderberries stress-free by planting in a full sun location for the most fruit and flowers, with a consistent schedule of water. It handles any type of well-drained soil, ranging from poor to average conditions.

The tiny feeder roots receive lifelong support with the symbiotic Nature Hills Root Booster placed in the planting hole. Add a three-inch layer of mulch over the root zone, pulling it back away from directly touching the stems.

Elderberry flower on last year's wood, forming canes in a way similar to Brambles. So it is best to prune after flowering, but you will lose out. For that reason, it is recommended that you use renewal pruning when dormant, removing 3-year-old canes back to the ground. Cut back all 2-year canes by half and remove all weak and dead canes.

Grows in Full Sun
Highly Adaptable to Any Well-Drained Soil Type
Thrives In Moist to Dry Conditions Once Established
Flowers On Old Wood - Prune After Flowering
Cold & Heat-Hardy, Low-Maintenance & Fast-Growing

Beauty and bounty! Hardy, compact, and adaptable, with lovely flowers and delicious fruit, the Adams Elderberry is a fantastic Sambucus variety and a perfect plant for your landscape! Order Adams Elderberry Bushes today from NatureHills.com!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What planting zones is the Adams Elderberry Bush hardy in?

Adams Elderberry Bush is hardy in USDA zones 3-9. This North American native cultivar tolerates a wide range of climates from cold northern regions to warmer southern areas. Plant in spring after last frost for best establishment.

How often should I water my newly planted Adams Elderberry Bush?

Water newly planted Adams Elderberry weekly with 1-2 inches until established. These native shrubs are drought tolerant once roots develop, typically after the first growing season. Check soil moisture 2-3 inches deep and water when dry.

When does the Adams Elderberry Bush bloom and what color are the flowers?

Adams Elderberry blooms in spring with wide, flat, creamy white flowers arranged in umbel clusters. These honey-scented blooms are perfect for attracting butterflies and can be harvested for fritters or medicinal beverages. Leave some flowers on the plant so they develop into the prized dark purple berries later in the season.

Is the Adams Elderberry Bush deer resistant?

Adams Elderberry is generally deer resistant due to its strong scent and taste that deer typically avoid. This native shrub's aromatic foliage and flowers make it an excellent choice for areas with deer pressure. Plant it as part of a mixed border for best protection.

Does the Adams Elderberry Bush need regular pruning and fertilizing?

Adams Elderberry is a low-maintenance native that doesn't require regular fertilizing. Light annual pruning in late winter helps maintain shape and encourages fresh growth for better flowering. Remove any dead or crossing branches and thin older canes every few years to keep your elderberry productive and healthy.

Can the Adams Elderberry Bush tolerate wet or poorly drained soil?

Adams Elderberry thrives in moist to wet soils and actually prefers consistent moisture. This native North American shrub naturally grows in areas with higher water tables and can handle poorly drained conditions better than most fruiting plants. Plant it in low-lying areas or spots that stay damp for reliable berry production.

Adams Elderberry Bush

Sambucus canadensis 'Adams'