Yellow elder grows as a densely branched shrub or small tree. The yellow flowers are trumpet shaped. They hang in showy clusters at the branch tips and forks, bending the twigs into arches with their weight.It will grow on a wide variety of soils, including sand and limerock. Light: This species needs full sun with a well drained soil. Potted plants should be given minimal water when not in active growth. Freeze tolerance varies dramatically, with some forms able to survive temperatures down to around 10ºF (-12.2º C) and others severely injured by only a few degrees of frost.