Sambucus sieboldiana

(Miq.) Blume ex Graebn.

Adoxaceae Edible: Leaves, Leaves - tea Potential hazards — see below 184 iNaturalist observations

Has toxic lookalike — see comparison below

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Summary

Sambucus sieboldiana, commonly called the Japanese red elder, is a deciduous shrub in the moschatel family (Adoxaceae). It is native to East Asia, where it is found in Japan and Korea. Its natural habitat is in thickets and forest edges, in low elevations. It is a common species throughout its range.

Description

A deciduous shrub. It grows 3-6 m high. It has many branches. The young branches are light green. The older bark is corky and ash-brown. The leaves are compound. There are 2-3 pairs of leaflets with a leaflet at the end. The leaflets are alternate and narrowly oval and tapering to the tip. There are fine teeth along the edge. The flowers are small and white and in dense groups 3 cm high and 10 cm across. The fruit are 4 mm across. They are red when ripe.

Edible Uses

The young leaves and buds are boiled and eaten as a vegetable. The leaves are also used as a tea substitute.

Traditional Uses

The young leaves and buds are boiled and eaten as a vegetable The leaves are also used as a tea substitute. Caution: The seeds contain poisonous alkaloids.

Known Hazards

The seeds contain poisonous alkaloids.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in mountainous woods. It grows best in fertile soil with good drainage. It can grow in sun or part shade. It suits hardiness zone 6.

Where It Grows

Asia, China, Japan, Korea,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from stem cuttings or seeds.

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

Sambucus sieboldiana

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

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

Synonyms

Sambucus racemosa ssp. sieboldiana

Also Known As

Niwatoko, Tazu-no-ki, Sekkotsu boku

References (7)

Chen, B. & Qiu, Z., Consumer's Attitudes towards Edible Wild Plants, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. p 24 www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfr/aip/872413.pdf
L. Diels, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 29:584. 1901
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 223
Hwang, HS, et al, 2014, Distribution characteristics of plant in the Ungseokbong Mountain, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 7(2014) e164-e178 (As var. miquelii)
Levy-Yamamori, R., & Taaffe, G., 2004, Garden Plants of Japan. Timber Press. p 260

Show all 7 references