Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens

(Michx.) House

American red elder, Red-berry elder, Scarlet elder, Stinking elder

Adoxaceae Edible: Fruit 95,711 iNaturalist observations

Has toxic lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens, the American red elder, is a subspecies of red-berried elder (Sambucus racemosa) native to North America. The inflorescence is a rounded panicle, making the plant easy to distinguish from the more common S. canadensis, which has a more open, flattened corymb. Some authors have considered it to be a separate species.

Description

A shrub. The fruit are small and red or black. They are 2 mm across and have 2 to 4 seeds. The fruit are in clusters.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

Common name is "American red-berried elder" or "red elderberry". The red berries are an important food source for many birds. They have a bitter taste and can cause digestive problems if eaten in large quantities by humans.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Canada, North America, USA,

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

American red elder

Sambucus racemosa subsp. pubens

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

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

Synonyms

Sambucus pubens Michx.Sambucus pubens f. xanthocarpa (Cockerell) FernaldSambucus pubescens Pers.Sambucus racemosa f. xanthocarpa Cockerell

Also Known As

Stinking elder

References (4)

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/econ.pl (10 April 2000)
Wiersema, J. H. & Leon, B., 2013, World Economic Plants. A Standard Reference CRC Press. 2nd Ed. p 612
Woody pl. W. North Carolina 32. 1913
www.desert-tropicals.com