cerulea is cultivated as an ornamental plant by plant nurseries, for planting in traditional, native plant, and habitat gardens. It provides valuable cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals. The bark and leaves were used to induce vomiting and as a laxative; externally applied, they were used for pain, bruises, swelling, and as an antiseptic. Has been known to survive in parts of TX, OK, WY, and MT. Hollow twigs were used for flutes, whistles, pipes, blowguns and squirtguns; whistles were use to call elk. [4], The plant is beneficial in wildlife gardens, its flowers attract pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds, and its berries feed other bird species and chipmunks. Tiny star-shaped flowers are whitish-yellow and grow in dense flat shaped clusters. [6], Sambucus nigra ssp. Blue Elderberry was also used extensively as a medicinal plant. The blue elderberry plant has been a good friend to me. In Europe, elderflowers are widely used to make syrups, cordials and liqueurs. It is a useful ground cover for ... Elderberry leaves, especially on seedlings or shrub-sized plants (without fruits or flowers) resemble California walnut Fruits are blueish-to-black and are coated with a waxy powder giving them a dusty blue appearance. cerulea It tolerates many soil types, ⦠Continue reading "Blue elderberry" The large flattened clusters of small white flowers appears on the Blue Elderberry from May to July. This native cultivar of Sambucus canadensis goes by the common name âAdams.â It is one of the most common elderberries grown in North America and is similar to those found growing wild.Adams ElderberryThe signature white flowers, and large clusters of dark purple fruits, make it easily identifiable as a beautiful yard accent.At full height, this beautiful bush can reach between 6 and 10 feet tall. They are bluish-black We have a Black Lace Elderberry that is more than 10 years old. [9] Stems and berries were used as a dye for basket weaving materials. Richard Bolli published a monograph in 1994 titled, "Revision of the Genus Sambucus", in it he proposed the placement of 6 species of elderberry as subspecies of Sambucus nigra, including S. caerulea, Blue Elderberry, to S. nigra ssp. Use by People: Elder trees were important in Celtic folklore and mythology; they were considered sacred to fairies and were used for making wands. The blue berries have a white powder like coating. [7], Some tribes used the wood to make musical instruments, such as flutes, clappers, and small whistles;[a] and smoking implements. Affordable and search from millions of royalty free images, photos and vectors. cerulea (note spelling) and S. canadensis, American Elderberry, to S. ⦠Handsome compound leaves provide a shiny medium green background for billows of creamy white flowers appearing in late spring through early summer. Blue Elderberry usually has a blue waxy bloom on the berries, but not always…. Distribution: Blue Elderberry is found from southern British Columbia to California; to western Montana through west Texas. **Use of articles and photos on this site is permitted for educational purposes only. Use by Wildlife: Blue Elderberry is an extremely valuable shrub for wildlife. This helps maintain the health of our shrub. [6], Sambucus cerulea is native to the Western United States, northwestern Mexico, and British Columbia. [7] Soft wood was used as a spindle "twirling stick" to make fire by friction. Leaflets are bi-colored (dark on top, lighter on the bottom). The flowers have a strong, unpleasant odor. [1][2], The Sunset Western Garden Book identifies the plant as Sambucus mexicana, and note use of Sambucus caerulea also. cerulea. Tea from the flowers is still used as a tonic and to fight colds. [10] It can become a multi-trunk tree when trained from youth with only several dominant trunks. [7], The Concow tribe of the Mendocino region called the plant nō-kōm-hē-i′-nē in the Konkow language. Berries are bluish-black, with a waxy bloom, making them appear powdery blue. Its fruit provides food for many species of birds including: jays, woodpeckers, pigeons, grosbeaks, robins, thrushes, bluebirds, towhees, tanagers, and many others. Layering is also possible. Blue Elderberry is a deciduous fruit tree native to Western North America. cerulea, with the common names blue elderberry and blue elder, is a coarse textured shrub species of elder in the family Adoxaceae. ⢠Identify American Elderberry by Leaves. Western Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum aleuticum. It thrives on moist soils, including those that flood. Diagnostic Characters: Blue Elderberry has opposite, relatively large, pinnately-divided compound leaves with 5-9, broadly lance-shaped, smooth, toothed leaflets. Remove and destroy all leaves before overwintering. An elderberry plant older than a year can be identified by its bush or shrub-like appearance and it should have several branches coming from near the base. It is distinguishable from other elderberries by the glaucous powder coating on its bluish-black berries. The indigenous peoples of North America, with the plant in their homelands, use the leaves, blossoms, bark, roots, and wood for preparing traditional medicinal remedies, taken internally or applied externally. ... Elderberry fruits, leaves and flowers are strong antioxidants. Blue Elderberry Caprifoliaceae-the Honeysuckle Family, (Newer classification Adoxaceae-the Moschatel Family), Sambucus nigra L. ssp. It can handle permanently moist soil near stream sides or seeps, and will thrive next to ⦠They bear large clusters of small white or cream-colored flowers in late spring; these are followed by clusters of small black, blue-black, or red berries (rarely yellow or white). [4][5], The botanist Victor King Chesnut (1867-1938) had classified it as Sambucus glauca in 1902, when studying the plants used by the Indigenous peoples of California in Mendocino County. The soft wood was used as a twirling stick to make fire. Small, creamy white flowers are borne in flat-topped clusters. Blue Elderberry can be used as a hedgerow, as a screen, or planted at the edge of a forest. Identify elderberry via pictures, habitat, height, bark, leaves, buds and flowers. Pest & Disease Control for Elderberry Plants. ... Whitish-gray powdery mold or felt like patches on buds, young leaves and twigs. Blue Elderberry was sometimes known as S. glauca; it is more commonly known as Sambucus cerulea (or caerulea), but many botanists feel that it and the American Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis, are just a subspecies of the well-known European species, the Black Elder, Sambucus nigra. A roadside elderberry bush's opposite, pinnately compound leaves and hand-size, flat-topped fruit cluster is shown above. WTU Herbarium Image Collection, Plants of Washington, Burke Museum, E-Flora BC, Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia, USDA Forest Service-Fire Effects Information System, Native Plants Network, Propagation Protocol Database, Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan, Dearborn. An attractive, upright growing, ornamental and fruiting shrub that will decorate your yard with its very large clusters of creamy white, edible flowers followed by abundant crops of tasty, powder-blue berries. Iâve eaten berries raw and in syrup and jam/ I think this is the largest of the species, easily growing to 35-40 feet, a small tree! Blue Elderberry was also used extensively as a medicinal plant. In fact, all the fruits are blackish with a blue tint, just that the white ones haven't had their silvery bloom, or glaucescence, rubbed off. Rather sweet and juicy but full of small seeds, this is the best flavored of the North American elders. Both the current USDA database and The Jepson Manual of California flora (2013) classify the plant as Sambucus nigra subsp. Deer eat the young shoots and leaves, and the fruits are consumed by squirrels, chipmunks and many species of birds. It is most often grown for its edible berries and to attract birds. But so you know, I have been eating blue elderberry in the form of syrup for over 30 years. Sambucus caerulea appearing as a pale powdery blue colour. Tea from the flowers is still used as a tonic and to fight colds. They are juicy, round, and approximately 4–6 mm in diameter. Blue elderberry is a small to medium size deciduous tree native to the coastal sage scrub, southern oak woodland and chaparral plant communities across California. Blue Elderberry is easily propagated by cuttings; either semi-hard wood in July or August or hardwood in autumn. It normally grows rather wildly from several stems, which can be heavily pruned (or even cut to the ground) during winter dormancy. It grows in USDA zones 6 through 10 and attracts wildlife that feast on its berries. Download Blue elderberry stock photos. The entire flower cluster can be dipped in batter and fried, while petals can be eate⦠Blue Elderberry is tough, easy to grow, and grows very rapidly. The flowers were made into a tea to treat cold and flu symptoms. *All photographs on this site were taken by Dana, Edmund or Sky Bressette unless otherwise noted. Identifying Blue Elder: Elder is a small tree that grows up to 20 feet high. Blue Elderberry is a unique and valuable Pacific Northwest native! New shoots are stunted. Propagation: Stratify seeds warm for 90 days, then stratify for 90 days at 40º (4º C), or sow as soon as seeds are ripe in a cold frame. Also a glass of elder wine has been known to soothe my throat now and then. It is also valuable for revegetation projects, and to stabilize slopes and streambanks. Other Names: TsiqWiâqWay (Twana) Blue elderberry Sambucus cerulea. Phenology: Bloom time: May-July; Fruit ripens: August. Sambucus nigra subsp. Names: The name Sambucus is derived from the Greek sambuca, which was a stringed instrument supposed to have been made from elder wood. Blue elderberry is a deciduous, fast growing soft-wooded, densely twiggy small tree with bark that becomes rugged with age. Elderberry refers to several varieties of the Sambucus tree, which has clusters of white flowers and black or blue-black berries. Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana or Sambucus nigra var. The stems, bark, leaves and roots contain cyanide-producing glycosides, and are therefore poisonous, especially when fresh. Most are native to the northern hemisphere with a few in Australia (and neighboring islands), and South America. Blue elderberry is planted because of its forage and cover value, productivity, adaptability, and ease of establishment. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. [7] The bark was used to produce a remedy for fever. Blue Elderberry syrup is Medicinal. Relationships: Sambucus is a genus with 5-30 species depending on how they are “lumped” or divided. We prune out dead, damaged, or dying wood as soon as we see it. Elderberry can be identified by the characteristics on the leaves, which are ⦠It will thrive in USDA Hardiness Zon⦠Elderberry Identification: Learn the difference between elderberry and plants that some people might mistake for elderberry People who havenât done much foraging donât always realize how many plants bear similarities to one another, and they assume if theyâve found a ⦠Thank you ⦠Sambucus glauca, Sambucus cerulea or Sambucus nigra ssp. [1][2][3], This plant is classified by several different botanical names besides Sambucus cerulea. (Blue Elderberry, Blue Elder) Deciduous shrub to small tree native to Western US. In the spring, the fragrant flowers bloom in small clusters and are a ⦠A wash prepared from flowers or leaves was used on skin sores, bruises and as a skin conditioner. It can grow from a 1 gallon container to a 15 foot tree in 3 years if happy. The fruits given are berry-like drupes. Squirrels and other small mammals also eat the fruit. [10], https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sambucus_cerulea&oldid=979518752, Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands, Plants used in traditional Native American medicine, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 September 2020, at 06:38. Flowers are mostly pollinated by insects but hummingbirds will visit the flowers for nectar. They are elliptical to lanceolate, and the blade extends unequally on the stalk at the base. Blue Elderberry is an important source of food for a number of creatures. It has light green foliage and produces large umbels of creamy-white flowers in spring; dark blue berries mature in summer and are favored by birds. Berries are bluish-black, with a waxy bloom, making them appear powdery blue. Many of these leaves eventually unfurled but retain a crinkled texture. I grab a handful of the flowers (delicate small white petals with soft fairy-like pollen), place them gently into a tea strainer, and pour boiling water over top and cover for 10 minutes or so. Each leaf has five to nine opposite leaflets with serrated edges. The fruit of many species (although no records have been seen for this species) has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Control. They are aligned with each other in an opposite formation, meaning they do not line up from one side of the stem to the other but are staggered. Your Elderberry Flower Leaves stock images are ready. Immune boosting. Often used as ornamental plant. Blue elderberry (S. caerulea) Is also known as the Mexican Elderberry. They are umbel-shaped, normally with 4 to 5 rays extending from the base. The serrated leaves of the elderberry grow along the twigs in groups of 3 to 9 leaves. [1][2], This species grows at elevations below 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), in diverse habitats of mountains and hills, valleys, riparian zones, open places in woodlands and forests, and exposed slopes where moisture is reachable.[2][3]. The pith was by watchmakers for cleaning tools before intricate work. The Black Lace Elderberry is such a beautiful shrub, it adds so much to any landscape. And yes, the berries are safe to eat when cooked. All parts of Blue Elderberry make plant chemicals that may cause nausea and diarrhea if ⦠Diagnostic Characters: Blue Elderberry has opposite, relatively large, pinnately-divided compound leaves with 5-9, broadly lance-shaped, smooth, toothed leaflets. It normally grows rather wildly from several stems, which can be heavily pruned (or even cut to the ground) during winter dormancy. Wild form. Nigra means black; caerulea means sky-blue. caerulea), typically grows larger (up to 30 feet tall) and develops bluish-purple fruits, often with a whitish coating, that are immensely important for wildlife during late summer and fall.It occurs widely within most western states in open forests and riparian areas and may be found on slopes where it helps control erosion. blue elderberry blue elder SAVE3: Sambucus velutina Durand & Hilg. In the landscape: Elders can be a little wild but overgrown plants can be cut back severely. I also find this species to be challenging to grow, unlike S racemosa, nigra and canadensis. It handles a variety of different soil moisture levels once established. Small, creamy white flowers are borne in flat-topped clusters. â Main Menu â Edible Plants (select an option below) - Weeds - Flowers - Aquatics - Plants (A-D) - Plants (E-K) - Plants (L-S) - Plants (T-Z) Edible Fungi Edible Trees & Shrubs Recipes Foraging for Food Events Blog Videos Free PDFs Media Bios Newsletter About Us Contact Us Books PDF Magazines Store Elk and deer browse the foliage. This elderberry type is native to northwest coast of the United States, northwestern Mexico, and British Colombia. The leaves are hairless, strongly pointed and sharp-toothed. The fruit, on both continents, is often used for wine, jellies, candy, pies, and sauces. Habitat: It is generally found in drier open forests, edges, and slopes; often along roadsides. Description. The fruits of blue elderberry are edible raw, cooked or used in preserves. Leaves, stems, bark and roots are toxic, so it's important to be vigilant about not including any of these when processing elderberries or elderflowers. Berries and flowers are a native food source that can be eaten fresh, but are best cooked or made into elderberry wine, jam, syrup, and pies. The blue elderberry syrup is a strong immune booster. A pretty tree, tough in the landscape, bedecked in season by lush flowers and then dangling clusters of blue berries, characteristically dusted with white wax. Classification. Can you explain why this is happening and what I can do to fix it? Elderberry trees have opposite, elongated, toothed leaflets that are three to four inches long. The oppositely arranged leaves are pinnate with 5â9 leaflets (or, rarely, 3 or 11). Elderberries have been an important food and medicine source for thousands of years - but only the blue and purple-berried species are edible. Margins are finely serrated. The white or creamy coloured flowers, occurring May to June, are numerous and form a flat-topped cluster usually about 5–20 cm (2–8 in) wide. Blue elderberry is a spreading shrub or tree, reaching 6-25 feet tall. Sambucus cerulea is a large, deciduous shrub, which can grow to be 9 metres (30 ft) in height and 6 metres (20 ft) in width. Blue Elderberry, American Elderberry, and Red Elderberry, are the only Elder species native to the United States (other named species are now lumped into these species). Another elderberry, blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. Distribution of Blue Elderberry from USDA Plants Database. The berries were used to make a black or purple dye; the stems to make an orange or yellow dye. It is also used for natural landscaping and habitat restoration projects. Some fruits in the picture appear whitish while others are blackish with a blue tint. I love to have the dried flowering tops close at hand when I begin to feel the onset of a cold setting in. Twigs are soft and pithy. R. Bolli, (sam-BEW-kus NY-gruh [subspecies] sair-rule-leah). Raw berries, especially if they are not fully ripe, may cause some people to experience an upset stomach. Depending upon conditions it can range in height from 15 to 30 feet. cerulea (Raf.) Flowers are white, and born in umbels. Elderberry berries are rich in anthocyanins, bioflavonoids, vitamins and antioxidants. Click on a scientific name below to expand it in the PLANTS Classification Report. Over winters in fallen leaves. It is found from the Pacific coasts, through California and the Great Basin, to Montana, Wyoming, Texas and Oklahoma. Elderberry - European Elder, Black elderberry, American black elderberry, Blue elderberry, Europea: Family: Caprifoliaceae: USDA hardiness: 5-7: Known Hazards: The leaves and stems are poisonous[9, 76]. Leaves are made up of five to nine leaflets. The Blue Elderberry S. caerulea growing happily in the NW is very tasty and productive. Wetland designation: FACU, it usually occurs in non-wetlands but occasionally is found in wetlands. Each leaf is 5â30 cm (2.0â11.8 in) long, and the leaflets have serrated margins. Blue Elderberry. caerulea) is also called Mexican elderberry. The leaves, green fruits and stems of members of this genus are poisonous. The berries, bark and leaves have been used traditionally in medicinal preparations. The “Elder Wand” was one of the “Deathly Hallows” in the Harry Potter book series. Twigs are soft and pithy. Sambucus cerulea is a large, deciduous shrub, which can grow to be 9 metres (30 ft) in height and 6 metres (20 ft) in width. Adaptation: Blue elderberry prefers a sunny location along the forest edge. Northwest natives ate the berries fresh, dried, steamed, or boiled. Leaves may crinkle and curl upward. Each fruit contains 3 to 5 small seed-like stones, each enclosing a single seed. A wash prepared from flowers or leaves was used on skin sores, bruises and as a skin conditioner. [7] The fresh, dried, and cooked berries are used for food. All parts of Blue Elderberry make plant chemicals that may cause nausea and diarrhea if ⦠Individual flowers are 4–7 mm wide. It is thought the name elder comes the Anglo-saxon ‘auld,’ ‘aeld’ or ‘eller’, meaning fire, because the hollow stems were used as bellows to blow air into the center of a fire. The leaves are commonly 3–15 cm (1–6 in) long and 2–6 cm (1–2.5 in) wide. It is distinguishable from other elderberries by the glaucous powder coating on its bluish-black berries. The other blue elderberry only just now started doing the same thing, and the reds are both unaffected. Growth: Sometimes tree-like, Blue Elderberry grows 6-12 feet (2-4m).