Elderberry not growing upright

Hi forum members,

I have some elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) growing at a site and it is not establishing well. It was planted last year. The branches are all very floppy and the plant is growing along the ground.

Has anyone seen this before and have any possible explanations? I will follow up with the nursery but thought I'd ask here as well. Pictures attached.

Thanks in advance,

Sarah

 

Were the plants looking normal when you bought them?

 

Yes, they were more upright when they went into the ground last summer.

 

Hello - is yours the elderberry (with the red berries) native to Vancouver BC area? If yes, then I have cut down more large stems of that plant than I can remember - then it enthusiastically comes back -

do you have it in a more forested location - ie moister, shadier?

I think it would be difficult to establish in an all-day hot sunny dry spot.

imagine it growing at the edge of the forest - we see it all the time, for example, at the edge of playing fields, school grounds, etc in rural greater Van.

(the version in the Okanagan has blue-ish berries)

so - I would not give up on it yet - I think the stems have grown too long at a young age, therefore floppy look. ----- there should be new sprout branches at the base of your plant. another thought - it might be planted too deep. (the crown)

put a note in your garden journal to check it early next spring assuming you are in coastal Vancouver - then you look for new sprouts which will become tall branches - upright at max height of approx 8 feet, I would guess. Messy leaves and berries but usually the birds harvest all the berries within a couple of weeks in late summer.

 

Are two elders beneath a low-branching evergreen conifer or other evergreen tree or taller shrub?

 

maybe Ron B has some further thought about the 2 plants being too deep - it looks like a lot of mulch built up around the elderberry root crown - (and mulch source ie what tree and other stuff was it ground up from is whole diff conversation) - as I see your sword ferns look pretty good in the photos - were they planted at same time from same nursery?

- and it appears that 2 things that most people consider horrible weeds are doing well too - -- is that horse tail and "morning glory" in the photos? - do not let that morning glory escape - keep at it persistently - it grows under the mulch so make sure you pull it and put it in your garbage (not green waste). I had a neighbour house that did not care about ivy and morning glory etc - and it was a nightmare for those of us who enjoy the garden and want it to look "rural" but not a big overgrown mess.

 

I would shorten the branches.....normally Eldberry can resist severe cut !! It's not so rare that these plants have the same behaviour......

 

Georgia are right . Elderberry in Italy his name is Sambuco, it is a strong plant and my suggestion is prune it to the base.

beautiful dense bush. no much water, yes full sun. the next year your plants will be gorgeous . Send us a beautiful foto!