Black elder vs Ninebark

Black elder and Ninebark are often considered for the same spot in the garden (screening, hedge, flowers, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Black elder

Sambucus nigra 4 m × 3.5 m after 10 years

A native, very fast-growing, spreading shrub or small tree that carries large, creamy white, strongly scented flower plates from late spring and…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 500

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius 2.5 m × 2 m after 10 years

An undemanding, fast-growing deciduous shrub with arching branches, rounded clusters of white or pinkish flowers in May and June and reddish, inflated…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about CZK 60

Key differences

Black elder grows larger: 4 m × 3.5 m after ten years, against 2.5 m × 2 m for Ninebark (an estimate: sources differ).
Ninebark tolerates drought better than Black elder.
Ninebark needs less care than Black elder.

Which one to choose?

Ninebark is the better choice if space is tight, you cannot water regularly or you have little time for care.

Watch out for

Black elder

It suckers strongly and birds carry the seed everywhere, so in Central Europe it comes up as a weed in gardens too, under hedges and along fences. Black aphids often smother the shoot tips in spring. The wood is soft and brittle, so wind and heavy snow break branches easily, and without pruning it soon goes bare at the base. Powdery mildew, leaf spot and canker occur.

Ninebark

Powdery mildew is the most common problem: a white coating on the shoot tips, mainly on dark-leaved cultivars and where the shrub stands crowded, airless or too shaded. Give it air and cut out infected tips. As a member of the rose family it can also catch fireblight, and leaf spots and cankers turn up occasionally. On shallow, very chalky soil the leaves can turn yellow.

The data side by side

Feature	Black elder	Ninebark
Group	Shrub	Shrub
Size after 10 years	4 m × 3.5 m (uncertain)	2.5 m × 2 m
Ultimate size	3–10 m × 2.4–6 m	1.5–3 m × 1.2–3 m
Growth rate	Fast	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -45 °C (USDA 2, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	May–July, white, pink	May–June, white, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	High
Maintenance	Medium	Low
Planting distance	250 cm	150 cm
For dogs	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	no data
For cats	Mildly toxic (uncertain)	no data
For children	Mildly toxic	no data
Typical price	approx. CZK 500	approx. CZK 120

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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