Samyl Elderberry

Quick Facts

• Type: Perennial elderberry shrub (pollinizing partner)
• Season: Blooms in early summer with decorative flower clusters, followed by dark berries that must be cooked before use
• Use: Primary role is cross-pollination for Samdal, plus flowers and fruit for culinary and medicinal uses
• Flowers: High quality, showy flower clusters valued for both pollination and harvest
• Plant habit: Vigorous, upright plants that are simple to prune and manage in a mixed elderberry planting
• Best for: Companion planting with Samdal to ensure strong pollination and yields
• Culture: Plant among Samdal in roughly a 1 Samyl : 5 Samdal ratio for optimal cross-pollination

Samyl elderberry is the standard pollinizing partner for Samdal, chosen for its strong bloom, compatible flowering time, and reliable cross-pollination. The plants produce high quality flower clusters that are attractive in the landscape and useful for teas, fritters, and other floral recipes once properly prepared. Its role in an elderberry block is to improve fruit set and yield on Samdal while still offering harvestable flowers and berries of its own.

Growers appreciate Samyl for its ease of pruning and straightforward management, making it simple to integrate into rows of more productive Samdal plants. When planted in the recommended ratio of about one Samyl to five Samdal, this variety helps create a balanced, efficient elderberry planting that combines heavy yield potential with visual appeal and pollinator activity.