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Sambucus racemosa - (image 1 of 5)

Taxonomy

Family: Caprifoliaceae

Habitat

Rich mesic or swampy woods.

Associates

Distribution

Circumboreal. In North America from Newfoundland to British Columbia, south to PA, IN, and IL, and in mountains to NC.

Morphology

Deciduous shrub to 3 m. Leaves pinnate compound; leaflets 4-7, finely tooth, lance-ovate to narrowly oblong, acuminate, often soft-hairy beneath. Stems green, become pale brown and woody with age; pith brown. Flowers in ovoid panicles about as long as broad; petals 5, white; stamens 5. Fruit a bright red berry.

Notes

Flowers late Aprile to late May

Wetland indicator: Facultative Upland +

This species also occurs in Europe, our plants are ssp. pubens (Michx.) House. The fruit of this species is not edible and contains a bitter yellow oil.

References

Foster, S. and R.A. Caras. 1994. A Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants: North America North of Mexico.

Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, NY. 244 pp.

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.

The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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