Summary ⁷

Sambucus canadensis, the American black elderberry, Canada elderberry, or common elderberry, is a species of elderberry native to a large area of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, south to Bolivia. It grows in a variety of conditions including both wet and dry soils, primarily in sunny locations.

Description ⁷

American black elderberry is a deciduous suckering shrub growing to 3 m or more tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, pinnate with five to nine leaflets, the leaflets around 10 cm long and 5 cm broad. In summer, it bears large (20–30 cm diameter) corymbs of white flowers above the foliage, the individual flowers 5–6 mm diameter, with five petals.

The fruit (known as an elderberry) is a dark purple to black berry 3–5 mm diameter, produced in drooping clusters in the fall.

Taxonomy ⁷

American black elderberry is closely related to the European Sambucus nigra. Some authors treat it as conspecific, under the name Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis.

Ecology/Wildlife Use ⁸

This plant supports a wide variety of wildlife: Insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles consume the nectar and/or the berries.

Uses ⁷

The flower, known as elderflower, is edible, as well as the ripe berries. Uses for the fruit include wine, jelly and dye. Leaves and inner bark can be used as an insecticide and a dye. Leaves are also traditionally used in herbalism topically.^{[citation needed]}

The genus name comes from the Greek word sambuce, an ancient wind instrument, in reference to the removal of pith from the twigs of this and other species to make whistles. Other sources claim that the sambuca was an ancient stringed instrument made from the wood of the elder tree.^{[citation needed]}

Growing American Black Elderberry ⁸

Easily grown in sites with moist soil and full to part sun. Plants have a tendency to sucker and can form colonies.

Suitable for rain gardens.

Read More ⁸

• https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f470
• http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/cm_elder.htm
• https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SANIC4

Sources and Credits

1. no rights reserved, uploaded by Kent McFarland
2. (c) Cephas, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sambucus_canadensis_UL_02.jpg
3. (c) Cmeusburger, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sambucus_canadensis.jpg
4. (c) Photo by David J. Stang, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sambucus_canadensis_5zz.jpg
5. (c) Fredlyfish4, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sambucus_canadensis_UMFS.JPG
6. (c) Photo by David J. Stang, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sambucus_canadensis_0zz.jpg
7. Adapted by Murfreesboro,TN, Natural Resource Division from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus_canadensis
8. (c) Murfreesboro,TN, Natural Resource Division, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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