Sambucus nigra

Elder is a deciduous shrub that grows very quickly. Leaves are present from March through to November and it is in flower from June to July, the berries ripening from August to September (7). The aromatic flowers are pollinated by small flies and other insects (2) The uses of elder, of leaves, bark, wood, flowers and berries are many and varied. The shrub has been used for centuries as a fast-growing hedgerow plant (6). The hard heart wood was highly valued and the pith, one of the world's lightest natural solids, is still used today for holding small biological specimens in microscopy (4). Hollowed-out stems make excellent pea-shooters and 'guns' for children (4). The leaves have been used to protect livestock from flies, and for various medicinal purposes, including soothing wounds, bruises and headaches. Indeed, elder was something of a cure-all, with every part of the shrub being used to treat a plethora of ills ranging from toothache to the plague. The use of the bark as a purgative dates back to Hippocrates, while today, elder flower water is still used for skin problems and as an eye wash (6). The main surviving uses for elder are culinary. Elder-flower cordial and wine (once known as elder-flower champagne) are still popular today. The berries are made into jellies, jams, syrups, wines, and relishes and the flowers can be battered, fried and eaten as fritters (5).

As tasty and edible the (processed) berries and flowers may be, the green parts of the elder are poisonous. Only red deer are able to digest them. Elder grows just about everywhere in the Netherlands, in the wild as well as cultivated, in forests, dunes and river valleys. As long as there is nitrogen available, elder is happy. Thanks to sea buckthorn, which adds nitrogen to the soil, elderberry bushes can take root in young developing dunes relatively close to the sea. The black, shiny berries ripen in the autumn, coinciding with the migration of many (hungry) birds.

The elder is not quite large enough to be classed as a tree, but is too large for a bush (4). It is a strange 'tree' of many contrasts. The heartwood is extremely hard, yet the branches are weak and barely able to support themselves. It produces clumps of creamy-white sweet-smelling flowers (2) but the leaves give off an unpleasant pungent smell, similar to the smell of mice nests, as the alternative name 'God's stinking tree' attests (4). Elder berries are small, globe shaped and a deep purplish-black in colour, and have been harvested for centuries for a huge range of purposes (4). Elder is the focus of a rich wealth of folk lore, and has many magical associations (5). The name 'elder' derives from the Anglo-Saxon word aeld, meaning fire. This may have arisen from the practice of using the hollow stems of the elder as bellows to encourage fires (4) (5). It was, however, extremely bad luck to burn elder wood; if this happened the Devil was said to appear, explaining another local name 'Devil's wood' (5). Conversely it was said to keep the Devil away if planted close to a house (4). Some of these old superstitions linger today; many modern hedge-cutters refuse to attack an elder for fear of bad luck (6). The hollow branches are the origins of yet another (this time Scottish) name 'bour-tree'; bour means pipe (4). The cross used to crucifix Jesus is said to have been made of elder wood, and the elder was tree on which Judas hanged himself (4).

"Notes: Western Ghats, Cultivated, Native of Mediterranean Region"

Sambucus nigra L.:
Chile (South America)
China (Asia)
United States (North America)
Ecuador (South America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Common throughout Britain with the exception of northern Scotland up to altitudes of 470 m (2) (3) and has been introduced to Orkney and Shetland (2). It is widespread in Europe but becomes scarce in the extreme north. It is also found in western Asia, North Africa and the Azores (2).

Distribution: Europe and Asia.

A small tree, up to 10 m tall. Stem lenticellate. Leaves exstipulate or stipules inconspicuous; leaflets 5-7, oval to ovate, 3-7 x 1.5-4 cm; margin serrate; apex acute; surface glabrous to strigose; veins strigose. Inflorescence corymbose, up to 15 cm in diameter. Pedicel jointed. Bracteole minute, glandular below the joint. Hypanthium turbinate, c. 1 mm long. Calyx 5-toothed, minute. Corolla rotate with 5, almost round lobes; lobe 1.5 mm long, 3-nerved. Anthers oblong, 1 mm long, filament 2 mm long. Stigmas 3, almost sessile. Fruit globose, black, 5-6 mm in diameter. Pyrenes oblong, 3.5 mm long, surface rugose.

Thrives in disturbed fertile soils in a wide range of habitats including waste ground, roadsides, woods, grassland and railway banks (3). It is very tolerant of rabbit grazing and is a common feature around warrens (2).

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
fruitbody of Agrocybe cylindracea parasitises branch of Sambucus nigra

Plant / associate
adult of Aneurus avenius is associated with dead twig of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / sap sucker
Aphis sambuci sucks sap of live shoot of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 6-7
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / pathogen
Armillaria mellea s.l. infects and damages Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered or in groups of 2-6+, immersed, black pycnidium of Ascochyta coelomycetous anamorph of Ascochyta deformis is saprobic on dead twig of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 4-5

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Athelia salicum is saprobic on dead wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Auricularia auricula-judae is saprobic on wood of Sambucus nigra
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Calocera viscosa is saprobic on decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / spot causer
amphigenous colony of Cercospora dematiaceous anamorph of Cercospora depazeoides causes spots on live leaf of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 8-9

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Clitocybe americana is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / saprobe
gregarious, immersed, plurilocular stroma of Cytospora coelomycetous anamorph of Cytospora sambuci is saprobic on dead, locally bleached branch of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 10

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Dacrymyces enatus is saprobic on decayed wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
bracket of Daedaleopsis confragosa is saprobic on dead wood of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / feeds on
pycnidium of Diplodia coelomycetous anamorph of Diplodia sambucina feeds on Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / parasite
Erysiphe lonicerae parasitises Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Exidiopsis calcea is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Flammulina velutipes var. velutipes is saprobic on dead wood of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: mainly winter

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hapalopilus nidulans is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hohenbuehelia atrocaerulea is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Plant / associate
fruitbody of Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca is associated with Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hyphodontia crustosa is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hyphodontia rimosissima is saprobic on dead, fallen, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Hyphodontia sambuci is saprobic on living bark of Sambucus nigra
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Inonotus radiatus is saprobic on dead, standing trunk of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
caespitose fruitbody of Kuehneromyces mutabilis is saprobic on decayed, dead stump (large) of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Lachnella alboviolascens is saprobic on dead branch (small) of Sambucus nigra
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Leucoagaricus serenus is saprobic on dead, decayed leaf of litter of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / miner
larva of Liriomyza amoena mines leaf of Sambucus nigra
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / open feeder
nocturnal larva of Macrophya albicincta grazes on leaf of Sambucus nigra
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / open feeder
nocturnal larva of Macrophya ribis grazes on leaf of Sambucus nigra
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
acervulus of Marssonina coelomycetous anamorph of Marssonina sambuci parasitises live Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Meripilus giganteus is saprobic on dead trunk (large) of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Monodictys dematiaceous anamorph of Monodictys asperospora is saprobic on Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Neolentinus lepideus is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / parasite
fruitbody of Oxyporus populinus parasitises live wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
imbricate or clustered fruitbody of Panellus serotinus is saprobic on dead, fallen, decayed branch (large) of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: mainly late 11-2

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Panellus stipticus is saprobic on live trunk (wounded) of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Peniophora boidinii is saprobic on dead wood of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Pholiota aurivella is saprobic on dead, fallen, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, scattered, immersed, sometimes few pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phoma exigua var. exigua causes spots on fading leaf of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 7-10

Foodplant / saprobe
subepidermal, erumpent pycnidium of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis sambucella is saprobic on dead branch of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
gregarious, covered then pustulate and tearing through pycnidium of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis sambucina is saprobic on dead twig of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 10-7

Foodplant / parasite
fruitbody of Phylloporia ribis parasitises live trunk of Sambucus nigra
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
numerous pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta sambucicola causes spots on live leaf of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Pleurotus dryinus is saprobic on live, standing trunk of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Pluteus salicinus is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Polyporus brumalis is saprobic on dead, still attached to fallen tree twig of Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: early winter-early spring
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
mainly hypophyllous colony of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph of Ramularia sambucina causes spots on live leaf of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Resupinatus applicatus is saprobic on dead, decayed wood of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Rigidoporus ulmarius is saprobic on dead, white-rotted stump of Sambucus nigra

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Skeletocutis nivea is saprobic on dead, fallen, decayed stick of Sambucus nigra
Other: minor host/prey

Plant / resting place / on
larva of Thrips sambuci may be found on live Sambucus nigra
Remarks: season: 5,7-9

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Vuilleminia comedens is saprobic on dead, decorticate, attached branch of Sambucus nigra
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Vuilleminia coryli is saprobic on dead, decorticate, attached branch of Sambucus nigra
Other: unusual host/prey

Fl.Per.: May.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 16
Specimens with Barcodes: 42
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Not threatened (3).

The elder is not threatened.

Conservation action is not required for this species at present.