A native shrub with flat-topped white flower clusters and dark purple berries. Berries traditionally used for jams, wines, and medicinal preparations.

Also called: Common Elderberry, Black Elderberry

Native status: Native to eastern North America

§ Quick facts

SizeHeight 2–4 m (6.5–13 ft); rarely to 6 m
WeightN/A
LifespanIndividual stems 20+ years; rhizomatous clones much longer
OrderDipsacales
FamilyAdoxaceae

§ Encyclopedia

Sambucus canadensis, the American black elderberry, Canada elderberry, or common elderberry, is a North American species of elderberry. Although many parts of the plant are toxic, including the seeds, the flower and ripe berries are edible—most safely after cooking.

Source: Wikipedia — Sambucus canadensis Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Multi-stemmed shrub with smooth gray-brown pith-filled stems; opposite pinnately compound leaves with 5–11 leaflets; flat-topped white flower clusters; dark purple-black berry clusters drooping under their own weight.

Similar species. Red Elderberry (S. racemosa — red berries, mountain habitats). European Elder (introduced, very similar appearance). Aralia (different leaf structure).

Voice. N/A

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. N/A — photosynthesis

Behavior. Native shrub of moist soils across most of eastern North America. Produces flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers in early summer, followed by hundreds of small dark purple berries in late summer. Berries are toxic raw (contain cyanogenic glycosides) but safe when cooked — used historically for jellies, jams, pies, syrups, and wines. Critical wildlife food: berries eaten by 50+ bird species, including robins, catbirds, mockingbirds, woodpeckers, and bears.

§ Range

Eastern North America

§ Habitat

Open woodlands, riverbanks, fields

§ Threats

Habitat loss, garden monocultures.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the american elderberry is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Plant native elderberry. Support open woodland habitats.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • USDA Plants Database
  • Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • New England Wild Flower Society
  • USDA Forest Service Silvics Manual