Sambucus racemosa is a species of elder known by the common names red-berried elder[2][3] and red elderberry.[4] It is native across much of the Northern Hemisphere.[5]
Sambucus racemosa is medium-sized shrub growing 2–4m (7–13ft) (rarely 6m (20ft)) tall. The stems are soft, with a broad pith.
Each individual leaf is composed of 5 to 7 leaflike leaflets, each of which is up to 4–8cm (1+1⁄2–3+1⁄4in) (rarely to 16cm (6+1⁄4in)) long, lance-shaped to narrowly oval, and irregularly serrated along the edges. The leaflets have a strong disagreeable scent when crushed.[6][7]
The inflorescence is a vaguely cone-shaped panicle3–6cm (1+1⁄4–2+1⁄4in) diameter, consisting of several cymes of flowers and produced on the ends of stem branches. The flower buds are pink when closed, and the open flowers are white, cream, or yellowish. Each flower has small, recurved petals and a star-shaped axis of five white stamens tipped in yellow anthers. The flowers are fragrant and visited by flies (particularly hoverflies), hummingbirds and butterflies.[6][8]
The fruit is a bright red drupe (to purple-black in var. melanocarpa) containing 3 to 5 seeds. It is eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings.[9]
It is native to Europe, northern temperate Asia, and North America across Canada and the United States.[1] It grows in riparian environments, woodlands, and other habitats, generally in moist areas.[8]
Toxicity
The stems, roots and foliage are poisonous, and the berries can be toxic or cause nausea if eaten raw.[8]
The fruit is reportedly safe to eat[16] when cooked, but are potentially poisonous when raw. They were cooked in a variety of recipes by indigenous peoples, including by the Apache, Bella Coola, Gitxsan, Gosiute, Makah, Ojibwa, Quileute, Skokomish, Yurok peoples.[8]
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