25x Bare Root Irish Elder Plants (2-3ft)

Irish Elder Plant - Description

• Bare Root Elder Hedging Plants
• Clearance Price: Bare Root stock to Clear
• Note: Please Water Well before & after Planting
• Sambucus Nigra
• Common Names: Elderberry Bush, European Black Elderberry, Black Elder Bush or Boon Tree
• Bare Root Plants
• Size: 2ft-3ft 
• Quantity: 25 Plants
• 1 Year Old Seedling / Bare Root
• Spacing Distance: From 2-3ft apart
• Best When Mixed Through a Native Hedgerow

Delivery - Important Note - Please Read

• We can only deliver orders of this product by Fastway couriers
• Please do not choose DPD as your courier for orders containing this item

Irish Elder Plant - Characteristics

• A native of Ireland - Common in Irish hedgerows
• Mature size: 3m to 5m
• Deciduous shrub, they loose their leaves in Winter
• Foliage - Early to come into leaf in Spring
• Leaves are approx. 10-30cm across & pinnate with 5 to 7 leaflets
• Fast growth rate
• Flower - Clusters of cream flowers appear in June / July
• Fruits - Deep red / black berries appear from September onwards
• A hardy plant, able for cold Winters & hard frosts

Irish Elder Plant - Uses

• The fruits & flowers of the elderberry can both attract & repel insects
• In the garden, the elder can be used as a fast growing specimen shrub or informal hedge
• Can be used with other natives to form a native hedgerow
• Suited to a sunny spot on most soil types
• Can plant for fruits to make elderberry juice (Note: Cook berries before eating)

Irish Elder - Planting Instructions

Sowing Time

• All bare root shrubs are planted from October to March
• Avoid frosty conditions, where the ground is frozen

Trench Preparation

• Prepare hole / trench approx. 2ft wide & 2ft deep
• Add farm yard manure to base of the trench / hole
• Lightly cover the manure with a layer of soil

Positioning Plants

• For hedging, space plants 30-90cm apart
• When planting, hold plants at ground level & back fill the top soil
• Ensure each plant is straight & soil is compacted in around it's root ball
• Level off the soil around the plants

Handling the Plants

• Be sure to water both before & after planting
• When plants arrive, plant them straight away
• If you are unable to plant straight away - then 'heel them in' temporarily
• Keep plant's roots in their bag & avoid exposure to sun light
• Take care not to damage roots, bark & buds

After Care

• Water bare roots plants regularly until plants establish
• Water before & after planting
• If dry weather persists, water every 2 days
• Weeding is also essential, especially bind weed which can quickly smoother a young hedge
• A new hedge will need to be weeded at least 3 time over the growing season
  • Weed in March, June & September
  • We recommend using weed membrane & mulch to control weeds

Pruning

• Elder is a fast growing plant
• Cut back hard in March to encourage a more dense canopy

Irish Elder - Quick Facts

• This common & native plant is shrouded in folklore & myth
• Elder is known as a 'coloniser' as it is the first plant to establish on bare soils
• The word 'Eld' comes from a Saxon word meaning 'Fire'
• The hollow stems of the elder were used to blow at fires
• They were also used in making musical instruments such as pipes & whistles
• Elderberry juice was used to treat flu & colds