Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis
(Elderberry)
Common Names, Latin Name and Family
The common names are elderberry, American elderberry, elder tree, black elder, Mexican elder, tapiro, sweet elder, sauco, and wild elder.
Its Latin name is Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis.
It is in the Viburnaceae, or viburnum, family. Some botanists believe it should be in the Adoxaceae, or moschatel, family, but the Atlas of Florida Plants has it in the former for now.
Form
It usually reaches a height, and stature, of a small tree at about 14 feet, or even slightly taller, even though it is generally referred to as a shrub.
Elderberry grows quickly and can reach mature height within a couple of years. Although the heartwood is very dense and strong the branches are weak and tend to be arching, especially when heavy with fruit, and easily break.
It is colony forming plant and produces dense thickets when it is in its preferred habitat by way of underground runners.
Leaves
Elderberry leaves are opposite and pinnately compound.
The leaflets are toothed and found in numbers of 5 to 9.
The lower leaves may be trifoliate.
Flowers
The small white flowers are born in flat topped clusters, and bloom all year according to most literature, but their peak blooming time seems to be summer and fall in my area of central Florida.
Fruit
Once the flowers are pollinated fruit begin to form and at first are green and then turn deep purple once ripe.
Habitat
Elderberry’s preferred habitat is wet hammocks, shallow ponds, along streams, margins of swamps & disturbed sites.
Native Range
It occurs naturally throughout the entire state of Florida.
It grows in the United States from the east coast, west to Oklahoma and north into Canada.
Landscape Use
It can be grown in the home landscape with a little extra watering, or maybe not. My friend, and fellow native gardener, Don Robinson grows his elderberry in the sandhills of Spring Hill and has it attaining almost champion size. So, don’t be afraid to try it in locations other than its preferred, wet, habitat.
Even though it prefers moist soils it cannot tolerate flooding for more than a few days because it will drown and the roots will rot.
Wildlife Use
The flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators from bees to butterflies.
The small purple berries, hang in clusters, and are eaten by birds and mammals.
Elderberry becomes a hive of bird activity once the fruit ripe because many different songbirds rely on the berries for food.
Human Use
The small purple berries are eaten by humans as well, and are used for making pies, jellies, jams, and wines. They can also be used as a substitute for raisins in bread pudding recipes. Here’s my Recipe for Elderberry Bread Pudding.
Syrup made from the fruit is good for treating colds because the berries are high in Vitamin C.
The unripe berries, bark, root, and leaves can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and should not be ingested.
The fruit and flowers should be cooked first if they are going to be consumed in large quantities.
The berries are rich in Vitamin C, and also contain Vitamin A, calcium, iron, and potassium.
The flowers make a fantastic tasting wine that I like to call Elderflower Champagne, and can be used in pancake and fritter recipes once the stems have been removed.
When using the flowers or fruit always remove any green stems first because these contain alkaloids that can cause stomach upset and nausea.
“The active alkaloids in elderberry plants are hydrocyamic acid and sumbucine. Both alkaloids will cause nausea so care should be observed with this plant. … The flowers are the mildest part of the plant and prepared as tea, are used to break dry fevers … aid headache, indigestion, … kidney infections, colds …. [1]
Propagation
Propagation is achieved through transplanting (small or large plants), rooting cuttings, root cuttings, or starting from seed.
It is a very easy plant to transplant if it is kept watered regularly until it becomes established. Plants of just about any size can be transplanted. Of course planting it in a wet, or moist, area will eliminate the need for regular watering. I like to do my transplanting during the summer rainy season so I don’t have to water the plants myself.
Small plants, or the suckers that have been sent out by the main plant, transplant very well. When transplanting any size plant trim off any blooms. Doing so will allow the transplant to use the energy, that would have been used for flowering and fruiting, to acclimate to the shock of being transplanted.
The plant spreads by underground runners and those can easily be dug up and transplanted.
Cuttings easily root in water or moist soil without the need for rooting hormone.
Growing from seed is difficult and can take years for the seeds to germinate.
Footnote
[1] Stevens, M. 2001. Plant Guide for Common Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L. ssp. Canadensis. R. Bolli. USDA-National Resources Conservation Service, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
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