A familiar sight in british hedgerows the elderberry is a deciduous shrub or small tree with attractive pinnate leaves in early summer panicles of sweetly scented dainty white flowers appear which are highly attractive to bees and butterflies these are followed in the autumn by clusters of small black berries which are devoured by birds sambucus nigra is a great addition to a mixed wildlife hedge providing nesting sites and food or alternatively can be grown alone as an effective screen