Wildflowers of the United States

Common Elderberry, American Elderberry, American Black Elderberry - Sambucus nigra ssp canadensis

Genus Common Name: Elderberry

Native Status: Native

Sambucus nigra ssp canadensis - Common Elderberry, American Elderberry, American Black Elderberry. This shrub grows up to 10 feet tall and has many stems, forming dense thickets. The leaves are pinnate, with usually 7, occasionally 5, and even more occasionally 9 lanceolate, serrated leaflets. The plant has large cymes of small white flowers which will produce dark purple to black berries which can be used in jams and to make wine. The flowers, dried, can be used to make a tea. The unripe berries, the stems, and the leaves may be poisonous.

This is the more widespread subspecies of the Black Elderberry, being found in all but 5 of the lower 48 states. It is also in Hawaii, but as an introduced species. It was formerly classified as the separate species Sambucus canadensis. Another subspecies, S. nigra ssp.cerulea (formerly S. caerulea) is known as the Blue Elderberry, and has bluish berries. Blue Elderberry is found in much of the western half of the United States

Found in:
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY

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Distribution of Sambucus nigra ssp canadensis in the United States and Canada:

Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
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Site: Flintstone, Walker County, GA Date: 2011-May-31	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The inflorescence of Common Elderberry is a large cyme of tiny white blossoms. The leaves are pinnate, with usually 7, occasionally 5, and even more occasionally 9 lanceolate, serrated leaflets.

Site: Flintstone, Walker County, GA Date: 2011-May-31	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Sambucus nigra is found in moist forests, fields, roadsides, and along railroad tracks.
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Site: Walker County, GA Date: 2018-June-06	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
Common Elderberry is a shrub that grows to about 10 feet tall, sometimes forming thickets.
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Site: Eden Park, Hamilton County, OH Date: 2014-August-05	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The dark purple to black berries are on red stems.
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Sambucus nigra ssp canadensis initially published on USWildflowers.com 2011-06-01; Updated 2015-06-25

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer

Code Update 20230302