Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Fruits, Herbs, Shrubs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Australia, South America
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Adams Elderberry, Black Beauty Elderberry, Black Lace Elderberry, Johns Elderberry, Nova Elderberry
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
0480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Farms, Homesteads, Near organic waste disposal
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-8-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
-
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
9.00 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
8.00 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Compound
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Early Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Part sun
-
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
-
The pH of Soil
Slightly Acidic
-
Soil Drainage
Average
-
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic
-
Soil Type
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Part sun
-
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in winter, Prune ocassionally, Remove deadheads
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Canker, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Stem spot, Tomato Ringspot Virus
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Variety of soil types
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, Fever, Heart problems, High cholestrol, HIV/AIDS, Nerve pain, swine flu
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
-
Other Uses
-
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
-
Botanical Name
Sambucus nigra
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Elderberry
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Elderberry
Earth Star
In German
Holunderbeere
Erdstern
In French
Sureau
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Saúco
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Elderberry
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Sabugueiro
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Bez czarny
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Elderberry
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Dipsacales
Bromeliales
Family
Adoxaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Sambucus
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
3050
1
27800
👆🏻