RED-BERRIED

ELDERBERRY
Sambucus pubens
( Sambucus racemosa subsp.
pubens )
 AT A G L A N C E
• Other common names
• Stinking Elderberry
• Scarlet Elderberry
• Key Identifiers
• Flower and fruit clusters are pyramidal or
egg-shaped, with only 1 main, upright stem
• The twigs are greenish-brown with lines and
furrows, and contain a soft, pithy center.
• Fruits are red, unpalatable, and potentially
poisonous until cooked
• Flowers are a creamy white with a yellow
tinge
• Generally, would be considered a shrub but in
some cases can appear to be tree-like
• Reportedly can grow up to 24 feet tall, but
usually grows to be about 7 – 20 feet tall
 R E D ELD ER BE RRY V S .
C O M M O N E LD ERB ER RY
Appearance
• Red Elderberry (Sambucus pubens): Features bright red berries.
• Elderberry (Sambucus nigra): Showcases clusters of dark
purple to black berries.

Habitat
• Red Elderberry: Prefers cooler climates, found in wooded or
forested areas.
• Elderberry: Common in temperate to subtropical regions, often
near streams and damp areas.
 TAXONOMY
• Order: Dipsacales

• Family: Adoxaceae
•
Family ) Taxonomy is a mess
Formerly: Caprifoliaceae ( Honeysuckle

Especially when no one cares

• Genus: Sambucus

• Species: ? ? ? ?
• Sambucus racemosa
• Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens
• Sambucus pubens
 LIFE CYCLE
• Flowering Season: April-May
• Fruits mature: June–August.
• Fruits are red, semiglossy, berrylike, egg-
shaped
• Plants spread laterally from buds on
lateral roots. Birds eat the berries and
disperse seeds widely
 RANGE AND HABITAT
• In Missouri, occurs on shaded, north- to
northeast-facing wooded limestone bluffs
and ledges and mesic upland forests; in our
state it is found only in Marion County.
• It occurs in our state as an ice age relict;
some populations died out, others migrated
north, and some — like populations of this
plant in Missouri — remained in pockets of
cool, moist sites such as north-facing bluffs.
C O N S E RVAT I O N
S TAT U S A N D
E F F O RT S
 W I L D L I F E VA L U E

• The ecological contribution of red elderberry is

straightforward and significant.

• It’s a significant food source. Providing food for many

species of birds, as well as squirrels, racoons, and many
other species of mammals

• Flowers provide food for may pollinator species

Rose-breasted Grosbeak on Red Elderberry. Photo: Shirley Donald/Audubon Photography Awards

 HUMAN USAGE
• Red elderberry has been used by various North
American tribes for both medicinal purposes and food
uses in many meals.

• Berries and seeds are poisonous

• The root, and the oil from the seed, are emetic and
purgative

• The toxicity is greatly reduced when the berries are

cooked, and they can be enjoyed in foods such as pies,
jellies, or even in wine

• Leaves were used to treat boils

• The root could be infused to treat stomach pains

or rubbed onto the skin to help with aching or
sore muscles
 FOLKLORE
• Thought to bring bad luck and have
evil spirts dwelling within
• It was thought that one should never
use elder for a child’s cradle, since it
would give witches access to the
baby, enabling them to cause harm.
• Another folkloric belief: never light a
fire with elder, or the resident witch or
other spirits would become furious.
• Pegan beliefs are the opposite
WORKS CITED
• Sambucus racemosa (iucnredlist.org)
• https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/red-berried-elderberry
• https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/red-berried-elder
• Red elderberry - The North Creek Wetland - UW Bothell
• Plant Folklore: Myths, Magic, and Superstition | Gardener's Path (gardene
rspath.com)
• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sambucus-racemosa-subsp-pubens/
QUESTIONS?