Is Sweet Elder deer resistant?
Sambucus canadensis
Plant typeShrubHardinessZones 4–8LightPart shade
Mature height60–144 in
BloomSpring and SummerMaintenanceModerate
Native range44 US states
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Sweet Elder
Flat cream flower heads then heavy purple-black fruit for jelly and wine. Plant two different cultivars for reliable cropping. The raw berries and all green parts are toxic; cooking the ripe fruit resolves it. Suckers into a thicket.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 71 to 118 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Similar to Sweet Elder
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
Where Sweet Elder grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 44 US states in total.
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Every list Sweet Elder belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Sweet Elder
- Is Sweet Elder deer resistant?
- Sweet Elder (Sambucus canadensis) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Sweet Elder grow in?
- Sweet Elder is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Sweet Elder grow in shade?
- Yes. Sweet Elder tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Sweet Elder get?
- Mature height is roughly 60–144 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is Sweet Elder toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Sweet Elder as toxic to dogs and cats. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.