The predominant species of elderberry cultivated for private and commercial use is the American elderberry (S. canadensis). This shrub is wide spreading and may grow ten or more feet high. New shoots are frequently sent out from the roots of the American elderberry so that the shrubs often form dense thickets if not pruned regularly. A number of varieties of the American elderberry have been cultivated, some of which are valued primarily for their appearance and others of which are prized for their particularly flavorful fruit. The shrubs have also been utilized in the past in various traditional folk remedies.