Pacific Northwest Gardening: Elderberry, 1 by lynnala

lynnala wrote:
Had this identified as an elderberry. It sprouted up after removing the blackberries and it is already about 7 feet tall. It's not really in a spot where I would have planted it, but since it's already there, and lived through being buried by blackberries for 15 years, I feel I should honor it and leave it be. I'm wondering if I can strip the bottom leaves off so it becomes more tree-like and let some air in underneath. Anyone have Oregon elderberry experience? I'm guessing it's a red elderberry, but I don't know what is common here.

And please ignore what looks like trash all over around it. We also discovered a collapsed cabin under the blackberries and are in the process of clearing all the debris. I'm thinking of turning the bathtub into a planter for lettuce.