Samdal Elderberry

Quick Facts

• Type: Perennial elderberry shrub (fruiting)
• Season: Fruit clusters ripen in August on second-year canes
• Flavor: Classic elderberry flavor for syrups, jams, wine, and wellness products (must be cooked before eating)
• Fruit: Large, heavy clusters of dark berries produced on vigorous shoots
• Plant habit: Strong, upright plants that send up long new shoots each year; old fruiting canes are removed after harvest like raspberries
• Best for: Home and farm plantings focused on elderberry products and ornamental value
• Hardiness & culture: Vigorous, winter hardy; requires cross-pollination with Samyl (plant about 1 Samyl for every 5 Samdal)

Samdal elderberry is a highly productive European-type variety grown both for its heavy fruit clusters and its ornamental presence in the landscape. Plants are vigorous and winter hardy, sending up long shoots from the base in the first year that will bear fruit the following season. Large clusters of berries ripen in August each year, providing a dependable crop for syrups, jams, juice, and medicinal uses once cooked.

Like raspberries, Samdal is managed on a cane system: older canes that have fruited are removed after harvest and replaced by strong new growth from the crown. This keeps the planting productive and easier to manage over time. Samdal is the more productive partner in a two-variety system, but it must be paired with Samyl for proper cross-pollination—aim for roughly one Samyl plant for every five Samdal plants to maximize yields and fruit set.

For elderberry spacing, pruning, and pollinator layout recommendations, see our Elderberry Spacing & Planting Guide before planting.