Sambucetum ebuli is a species-poor community dominated by Sambucus ebulus, a tall perennial herb forming dense stands. It occurs on sunny to slightly shaded sites, on comparatively deep soils with intermediate nutrient availability. The original habitats of Sambucus ebulus were forest edges and clearings. From these the species has spread to anthropogenic habitats such as road or railway banks, edges of forest roads, and ruderal sites around villages and farms. In the Czech Republic this associations occurs mainly in warm colline areas, but scattered occurrences are also found in submontane areas.