Blue Elderberry is a beautiful shrub  or tree  that produces edible fruit and is loved by wildlife. This shrub grows in rounded  convex fashion  producing large clusters of cream to white flowers  which ripen to edible berries in the summer. If you would like to wake up to the sound of happy birds then be sure to plant one! The fruit is adored by birds  while bees and other native pollinators. are especially fond of the white flowers.(Watch for our August blog to find out why!)The leaves are a lighter shade of medium green  having small serrated edges around the tips. Elderberry can adapt to most any climate and soil conditions  though some irrigation is needed to establish. Elderberry is fast growing and can reach 25'-30' high and spread about 20' so give this shrub room to grow. It is very adaptable  thriving beside a stream  water source or irrigated lawn  but will also survive drought conditions once established. In drought conditions it will drop its leaves  or many of them  in the late summer and fall  greening up again with the winter rains and cooler temperatures. The berries can be used for jams and jellies  juices and wines  but be sure to make sure you select nice ripe berries. The leaves  stems and bark of Elderberry are poisonous. Elderberry has also been used extensively in medicinal treatments.