elderberry companions.

Hello all! Im not exactly sure where to put this question.
I am putting in 20 elderberry bushes this spring. I am trying to find companion plants that serve as medicinal herbs. I am especially interested in growing rose hips. We have started a small online herbal goods business, mainly selling herbal teas with medicinal mushrooms we grow. We are no expanding into elderberry extracts. I don't want to just go out and conventionally plant 200ft of elderberry. Instead, we are planning on trying to implement permaculture tecniques to this project. I am having a hard time finding medical plants that would make good companions for the elderberry in order to create some diversity. I am planning on using the understory to grow some nettle, lemon balm, mint, etc. Anyone have any good ideas?

Thanks!

I found this info....If you are starting from scratch, you’ll have to decide what to plant with elderberry. White pine trees or quaking aspen are good elderberry companion plants, if you want something taller than the shrubs. For a plant about the same size, consider winterberry. Remember that elderberries do not like their roots disturbed once they are established. Therefore, it’s a good idea to install elderberry companion plants at the same time you plant the shrubs.

Other good ideas for elderberry companion planting include edging your vegetable garden with the shrubs or mixing them with other berry shrubs, like currants and gooseberries. Phlox and bee balm work well when you are planting with elderberries in this way.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Elderberry Plant Companions – Tips On Planting With Elderberries

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/elderberry/elderberry-plant-companions.htm

I know its not a plant, but our chickens work well with elderberries. We get more than we can use out of a 20 foot long patch of them alongside the barn. The chickens seek out this spot and have cleared out all the grass under the elderberries. Seems the elderberries like sunshine and chicken deposits.

I suppose it will depend on your location.

But where I am, common medicinal plants that happily cohabitate with elderberry include: narrow leaf plantain, crimson clover, dandelion, dock, and wood sorrell.

Blackberries seem to do well with them too, but thorns make it tough to get to elderberries so I would not recommend it.

I have been thinking about planting Missouri gooseberries between my elderberries. I don’t know if they have any medicinal uses, but they are tasty.

Alex Kosmicki wrote:I know its not a plant, but our chickens work well with elderberries. We get more than we can use out of a 20 foot long patch of them alongside the barn. The chickens seek out this spot and have cleared out all the grass under the elderberries. Seems the elderberries like sunshine and chicken deposits.

In my last place I left one elderberry in the chicken run, it was also growing in bare earth and chicken droppings, and was probably the best bush we had. It also had wind protection from the barn which it really appreciated.

Permaculture fruit guild also recommends comfrey, yarrow, garlic, borage, oregano, sorrel and chickweed. All medicinal.

I've scattered some elderberry seeds around & they seem fine just about anywhere, growing alongside anything, so maybe specifics don't matter so much, for that plant?