Sambucus australasica

Sambucus australasica, commonly known as yellow elderberry, native elderberry or native elder, is a species of flowering plant in the family Adoxaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with pinnate leaves that have coarse teeth on their edges, small white flowers with three petals, and yellow fruit. It is usually found in and on the edges of rainforest.

Description

A shrub. It grows 4 m tall. The leaves are compound and alternate. They are 6-25 cm long. There are 3-5 leaflets. These are 2-12 cm long by 0.4-4.5 cm wide. The flowers are on branched stalks at the ends of branches or in the axils of leaves. The flowers have 3 petals which can be white or cream. They are 3 mm long. They have an unpleasant smell. The fruit is yellow or orange and 5-6 mm long. There are 3-5 seeds. These are cream or brown and about 4 mm long.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and has a sweetish, juicy, mild, and pleasant flavour, though some forms are bitter. The fruit is quite small but is borne in large clusters, making it easy to harvest. Some caution is advised regarding toxicity. The flowers can also be eaten raw or cooked.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It grows in tropical and warm temperate areas. Melbourne Botanical Gardens.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as ripe in autumn in a cold frame, where it should germinate in early spring. Stored seed sown in spring will germinate more reliably after 2 months of warm followed by 2 months of cold stratification. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough; if growth is strong, plant out in early summer, otherwise hold in a sheltered nursery bed or pots and plant out the following spring. Half-ripe cuttings of 7–10cm with a heel can be taken in July or August in a frame. Hardwood cuttings of 15–20cm with a heel from the current season's growth can be taken in late autumn in a frame or sheltered outdoor bed.

Other Uses

The wood is pale, soft, and light.

Notes

There are about 25 Sambucus species. Also put in the family Sambucaceae.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

VERY TOXIC

Pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Jakec

Safe

Yellow elderberry

Sambucus australasica

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Pokeweed: Thick red/purple herbaceous stems (no bark), berries in a line (raceme), simple large leaves, large white taproot.

Yellow elderberry: Woody bark, berries in broad flat clusters (cymes), compound leaves with 5-7 leaflets.

Nutrition

Synonyms

References (10)

• Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 196
• Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 112
• Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 55
• Cronin, L., 1989, The Concise Australian Flora. Reed. p 172
• Edible and Useful Native Plants (off internet)

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