Blue Elderberry

The Blue elderberry is a large, dense deciduous shrub or small tree, growing up to 9 meters in height and 6 meters in width. The thick, bushy tree is formed of several dark brown, fissured trunks with numerous, twiggy branches. The pale shoots of the younger plant are fleshy, like celery. The hairless leaves, which grow in a pinnately compound pattern, are strongly pointed and toothed, elliptical (oval) to lanceolate (long and slender) in shape. Each leaf is about 3-15 cm long and 2-6 cm wide. The dense, flat-topped inflorescence clusters, 5-20 cm wide, are composed of many small, whitish-yellow flowers, each 4–7 mm wide. The flat berry clumps are composed of many round, juicy blue berries, 4-6 mm in diameter, which are covered in a glaucous, whitish powder.

Basic Information

• Member of the Adoxaceae (Muskroot) family

• Winter deciduous

• Shrub or small tree

• There are numerous subspecies of the black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), which, beyond ssp. caerulea, include:

  • ssp. canadensis — American black elderberry; native to North America and parts of South America

  • ssp. nigra L. – European black elderberry; native to Europe

• Sometimes classified as ​​Sambucus mexicana or Sambucus caerulea

Habitat

• Native to western North America from northwestern Mexico north to British Columbia, and east to Montana and Texas

• Commonly found in open riparian habitats, including chaparral, open woodlands, meadows, roadsides, and hillsides

Ecological Role

• Birds, squirrels, bears, deer, elk and moose feed on the berries

  • One of the most important food sources for CA birds

• Flowers are pollinated by flies, but also visited by hummingbirds, that consume the nectar

Reproduction

• Blooms from March-September, though in the Bay Area, usually in March-June

• Flower shape is known as a corymb

Alternative Names

• Blue Elder, Blueberry Elder, Mexican Elder, Arizona Elderberry, New Mexico Elderberry, Velvet-leaf Elderberry, Hairy Blue Elderberry

• The Concow tribe calls the plant nō-kōm-hē-i′-nē

Historical Uses

• This plant was widely used by Native American peoples across the continent

  • All parts of the plant were used medicinally

    • Bark commonly used to break fevers

    • Used decoctions of various part of the plant as anti-inflammatories and laxatives

  • Wood used for various tools:

    • Wood used as a spindle to make fire via friction

    • The soft wood was used by some tribes to make musical instruments

  • The fresh, dried, and cooked berries were eaten

  • Stems and berries used as a dye for baskets

Additional Information

• Do not consume the raw berries, as they contain the toxin compounds known as cyanogenic glycosides

• Plant is high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which may help remedy colds and fevers