Elderberry getting too big.

Does anyone know if there are any restrictions on either getting rid of completely or reducing substantially an Elderberry tree at the bottom of my garden?. I fired off an e-mail to my local council about this a few weeks ago,but have had no response. It would be a shame to get rid of it completely as it does provide shade in the summer - just a bit too much shade really. If it were in a big garden I wouldn't worry about it,but it's getting a bit big for my little 60'x18' patch. It is currently around 22' high and around 12' wide on the lower branches. Thanks.

 

I would just cut it back hard in the spring while its still dormant & not worry about it - I think that they are quite difficult to kill. If its on your property I doubt the council will care.

Unless its the funky black leaved one, in which case you should hack a bit off now & send it too me so I can plant it up in my garden before I end up buying one :-)

 

Thar she blows,right at the back. I laid a patio under it when it was a lot smaller,and now of course the berries drop and make a mess everywhere!. I admit it does give us privacy from the top windows of the houses 'out the back'.

 

Elderberries are part of the hedgerows round here in Cumbria and dont seem to have any ill effects from being trimmed by a tractor at the back end of the year. These tractors really do hack the hedgerows into shape!

Steve...

 

If you live in a Conservation Area you'll need tree works permission from your Local Planning Authority (normally District Council) to cut down anything about the thickness of your forearm about waist height, so as you appear to live in an older style property that's more likely to be within a CA it would be a good idea to check it out. It costs nothing to apply for one - I know because I have trees and live in a CA.

P.S. If it's in a CA you'll also need consent to lop any branch/root over 25mm dia, or even smaller if it substantially affects the shape of the tree.

 

They grow as weeds round here, coming out of cracks in brickwork and paving and everywhere if not controlled. I had one in the back wall at my last house. I would cut it right off completely a couple of times a year and it would keep coming back, so I can only assume you can be as brutal as you like without killing it.

The only thing is though, and this is of paramount importance. Ignore this advice at your own peril and warn us all to stay away if you're going to ignore this advice. The spirits of wrongly accused witches reside in Elderberry trees, so you must ask the tree for permission to cut it beforehand, and thank it afterwards.

On a more serious note, don't burn the wood you cut off it, or if you do, don't inhale too much of the smoke. It contains a toxin that acts on the nervous system.

 

My favourite tree/shrub. Tough as anything.

You could aim for thinning the crown/ reducing it's bulk if you want to maintain shade and privacy. Try to establish a trunk with an open framework of branches at the top and cut off anything that doesn't fit in with this. Easiest to do this when the leaves are off.

You could just cut off everything to within about 12' of the top of the trunk in March and it would regrow lots of fresh straight shoots (which would benefit from thinning) but you would lose blossom and fruit for the year. You'd get extra-large foliage instead.