Elderberry, Sambucus racemosa L., Native Minnesota Wildflower shrub, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, Red-berried elder

(Red-berried Elder). A common shrub of the Minnesota woods, forming leaves very early in Spring, 5 to 7 lance-shaped leaflets make up the pinnately compound leaf. Margins of the leaflets are serrate and tips are pointed. The small whitish flowers appearing in dome shaped clusters near the end of the twigs, are fragrant and mature quite early into small red berries which are acidic, but well liked by the birds. They are unpalatable to humans until they are cooked and even then most people will still find them too bitter. Even in small quantities they may cause intestinal upsets. Harrington (Ref. 9) reports that some American Indian tribes of the West found them palatable but that may be to local differences in the plants. The elderberry used for wines, jams and jellies is the Canada Elderberry, Sambucus nigra L. ssp. canadensis. The berries of Red Elderberry are already red before the larger Canada Elderberry begins blooming. Found in many places in the Woodland Garden and more shady spots of the Upland Garden. The genus name, Sambucus, refers to a Greek musical instrument, the sambuke, made from elderwood as the stems can be easily hollowed out to make flutes and other instruments. The elder Pliny makes reference to this.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Red Elderberry	Sambucus racemosa L. [Old = Sambucus pubens L.]	Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae)	Woodland & Upland	Spring
Other names and notes	(Red-berried Elder). A common shrub of the Minnesota woods, forming leaves very early in Spring, 5 to 7 lance-shaped leaflets make up the pinnately compound leaf. Margins of the leaflets are serrate and tips are pointed. The small whitish flowers appearing in dome shaped clusters near the end of the twigs, are fragrant and mature quite early into small red berries which are acidic, but well liked by the birds. They are unpalatable to humans until they are cooked and even then most people will still find them too bitter. Even in small quantities they may cause intestinal upsets. Harrington (Ref. 9) reports that some American Indian tribes of the West found them palatable but that may be to local differences in the plants. The elderberry used for wines, jams and jellies is the Canada Elderberry, Sambucus nigra L. ssp. canadensis. The berries of Red Elderberry are already red before the larger Canada Elderberry begins blooming. Found in many places in the Woodland Garden and more shady spots of the Upland Garden. The genus name, Sambucus, refers to a Greek musical instrument, the sambuke, made from elderwood as the stems can be easily hollowed out to make flutes and other instruments. The elder Pliny makes reference to this.