Wild Black Elderberries

I have a handful of young elderberry bushes growing in my yard and wanted to acquire some more.

The other day I spotted a big patch of wild elderberry bushes.

I'm considering digging up a few of the smaller starts and transplanting them into my yard.

I understand elderberry transplants normally do quite well if they are watered well.

My main question is whether disease is likely to be a problem. Or if the plants are unlikely to be as productive/tasty as the stock from nurseries.

I'd appreciate any knowledge you have to share!

This time of year they will likely wilt badly and die back. I would transplant several in case some die. They are one of those plants that wilt immediately after digging them up. They are quite productive here, but I've never seen domesticated ones to compare them to. I've seen them loaded down almost to the ground with berries. If they don't produce many berries, you might use them for the blossoms instead and get berries from your others.

It seems to be a good time to start cuttings. I haven’t grown them before, but I want to grow a hedge.  I took almost all the leaves off. The first cuttings never even wilted. In air conditioning with a plastic Walmart sack over them. I am not sure if air conditioning helps or hurts, but it seems to be working. They had very little light the first day then indirect light from the window. I cut the second batch about 30 minutes from home with no water to put them in. That wilted pretty badly but were fine in a day or two. I found them in a road ditch. It’s too soon to have any roots, but since they look healthy, I think this is going to work well.  

I wanted cuttings from at least two locations in case one did better than the other. I am hoping to get more from another loaction this week.

If your soil has enough clay to keep soil on the roots when you dig them up,  transplanting should work. If your soil is sandy it will be harder to keep them alive. Either way give them temporary shade. A plastic lawn chair works great. If I lose many roots digging up a plant, I usually cut the top back too.

It’s too dry here to get a shovel in the ground. I’m in western Missouri.

Elderberry does well from winter cuttings. Cut a few dozen sticks. Put them in spot with soil and wait until spring. Most will root and leaf out.

I wouldn’t mess with digging established plants.

Every wild elder I have found has tasted good. I imagine that selected cultivars are probably sweeter, and have bigger fruit, but the wild ones are just fine. I used to eat them on my way home from school as a kid. (Don’t over do it with raw berries - just a few until you get used to them. They can give you the runs.)

Thanks for all the advice folks! I think you're right: I should wait till they're dormant and grab some cuttings (the ground is like stone here as well right now).

Greg, I'm hoping to take some elderberry cuttings soon.  I've had really good luck with rooting other soft and hardwood cuttings in a clear plastic tote with a lid in a shady spot in my backyard. I'm doing individual cuttings in clear plastic cups in which I've drilled a few drainage holes. The clear cups lets you see when the roots have formed and you vent the lid on the tote as needed.  I had an empty cup of soil and put a tomato sucker in it and had no wilting whatsoever and roots within a week.  Of course elderberries probably won't root as fast as tomatoes, but keeping conditions humid inside the tote is what really makes a difference.  

Michelle Heath wrote:Greg, I'm hoping to take some elderberry cuttings soon.  I've had really good luck with rooting other soft and hardwood cuttings in a clear plastic tote with a lid in a shady spot in my backyard. I'm doing individual cuttings in clear plastic cups in which I've drilled a few drainage holes. The clear cups lets you see when the roots have formed and you vent the lid on the tote as needed.  I had an empty cup of soil and put a tomato sucker in it and had no wilting whatsoever and roots within a week.  Of course elderberries probably won't root as fast as tomatoes, but keeping conditions humid inside the tote is what really makes a difference.  

I'd love to see a picture of your setup.

I have a raised bed devoted to cuttings in my backyard. It's shaded with afternoon sun, mulched with straw, and has a soaker hose run for a bit each morning. It's working really well for currants, gooseberries, and grapes. My bush cherry cuttings didn't do so great once it got hot.