what happened to my elderberry??

20 years ago

I brought up an elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) when we moved back to IL from TN. I planted it temporarily at my parents. This spring, on a cloudy day, we dug it up and replanted it here. At first I thought I was going to lose it, it's leaves all turned and dropped. Then it started getting new growth from the bottom and it liked it was going to make it after all. Few weeks ago, we had a lot of rain...I had just looked at the elderberry previous to the rain, still nice and green, but after the rain, it's leaves were all brownish black and looking, well, dead. Is it? What happened? I have good old black dirt, no clay, great drainage. Someone suggested root rot, but these like wet conditions, don't they? Plus, we didn't get that much rain that it would of drowned...it's not in a low lying area, no puddles around it...I'm stumped. Anyone?

Terry

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Comments (4)

jillmcm
20 years ago
I don't know what happened - but I wouldn't write it off until next spring. Elderberry are tough!
catherinet
20 years ago
I have some elderberries in my woods that come and go, moving around the woods. But the ones I don't want, growing up the side of my house, never leave. hahaha Go figure. Like Jill says, wait until next spring, 'cause it might just sprout again.
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roseunhip
20 years ago
Yes, they are tough.
You sound like you are careful to plants' needs and everything, but did the plant stayed uprooted a long time between its two homes? Exposed to high winds or heat during the transfer?
Another possibility is the elderberry borer, that is very active here in early summer esp. Don't know if you have this insect in Illinois. My bet is if Sambucus canadensis is native to your area, the borer should be around. It's not a major pest, being cyclical, but it does cause strange looking damage some years, exactly like the plant was in need of water. Pretty easy to control too, if you look it up.
Good luck with your canadensis elderberry! It's a gorgeous shrub and absolutely wonderful for attracting many different and exciting bird species in the fall!
terryr
Original Author
20 years ago
No, it wasn't uprooted for any length of time at all. We dug it up, put it in a nice big plastic pot with soil, brought it here and immediately planted it. I've never heard of the elderberry borer, have heard of borers before, just not an elderberry borer. It never looked like it needed water, it just looked stressed after I replanted it here. It had established roots in TN, only to be dug up and replanted, establised roots out at my parents, only to be dug up and replanted here. I really wasn't surprised when it lost all its leaves, and was a little freaked thinking I'd lost it, but then came the the new growth and it looked fine. It never looked like it needed water. We had a heck of drought here this past spring and summer, but I watered all my plants so I wouldn't lose any. I'm just really bummed it's looking dead. I will leave it to see if next spring it doesn't resprout. Oh, and I've been using a root stimulator on all my plants. I just wish I knew what happened!

Thanks!
Terry