Transplanting elderberries from the wild?

Is it possible to transplant wild elderberries without killing them? They grow wild around these parts, but I didn't know how well they survive transplanting. Or is it better to just order some?

Lakota Myers wrote:Is it possible to transplant wild elderberries without killing them? They grow wild around these parts, but I didn't know how well they survive transplanting. Or is it better to just order some?

I have never transplanted one, but they take quite well from cuttings.

I have heard of many people simply sticking cuttings in the ground; that didn't work for me, but cuttings in damp vermiculite with a bit of peat moss or soil over top to keep evaporation under control gave a good ratio of successful rooting.

I did it with 3 plants. They all survived! I took plants that were under 12 inches tall and put them in the ground well before the 2 or 3 times a week spring rains stopped. I did not need to irrigate them. Note that we only have about 7 weeks of seasonal drought, in late summer.

Yes, you can propagate from surroundings plants - I think it is worthwhile to order named cultivars though for many reasons.  Better yields, ease of harvest, etc.