Dwarf elder - a portrait of a black sheep

Dwarf elder - a portrait of a black sheep

Decorative windbreak plant for small gardens

The dwarf elder has long since lost its original importance as an important medicinal plant in the Middle Ages. The perennial musk herb makes up for this with a compact growth. Even at locations that are exposed to wind along the coasts of the sea, an attich will not fail. Since it is nowhere near the size of a black elder, it functions as a practical windbreak plant in small gardens. An overview of his data:

  • Height: 60 to 150 centimeters
  • Spread: 60 to 100 centimeters
  • annual growth: 10 to 25 centimeters
  • white plate flowers from May to June
  • black elderberries from August
  • deciduous and hardy

also read

  • How fast and how high does an elder grow?
  • How to recognize edible elderberry
  • Deer elder - wood with accepting qualities - a portrait

Since a dwarf elder - in contrast to other types of elder - does not lignify, its shoots prove to be much more flexible in windy conditions. Thanks to the pretty, terminal flowers and the upward-pointing fruit heads, the Attich decorates and protects the garden. The only drawback is the toxicity of the entire plant, including the berries.

Plant dwarf elder in the bed

Those who are aware of the toxicity of dwarf elder and protect them accordingly should plant them in a sunny to partially shaded location. Even under less favorable lighting conditions, the robust plant thrives as long as the soil is sufficiently rich in nutrients and humus. Attich is therefore ideally suited to overgrown large areas and to give them a natural character. How to do it:

  • Put on long-sleeved clothing and gloves
  • Loosen the soil deeply at the site and enrich it with compost
  • Create a planting pit with 1.5 times the circumference of the root ball
  • Pot the dwarf elder, place in the soil and water
  • create a pouring rim that slopes down towards the root neck
  • a planting distance of 60-80 centimeters is considered appropriate

A mulch layer of leaves, nettle leaves or grass clippings keeps the soil moist longer and promotes growth. If the attich has already been driven out by the time it is planted, cut it back by a third. In the first few weeks after planting, watering should be more frequent so that the roots can establish themselves well. As a result, the dwarf elder is satisfied with the natural rainfall.

Insertion in the bucket

Thanks to its bushy growth up to a maximum of 150 centimeters, dwarf elder is ideally suited for container culture. It should be ensured that no children or pets come near it. Commercially available potted plant soil, which is enriched with compost, can be used as a substrate. Drainage above the water drain in the ground prevents damaging waterlogging.

Tips & Tricks

As a vestibule for the seat in the garden or on the terrace, dwarf elder is unsuitable. A key differentiator to the less poisonous elderberry species is its unpleasant to disgusting smell.