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Sambucus cerulea

Authority Nutt. Family Magnoliopsida:Asteridae:Dipsacales:Caprifoliaceae Synonyms Common names Editor Ecocrop code 9528

Notes
DESCRIPTION: It is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching 2-4 m or even 6-8 m in height. Young twigs are soft and pithy but the wood is quite hard with greyish bark or thin, dark brown irregularly furrowed and ridged bark. The leaves are opposite and odd-pinnate with five to nine serrate leaflets. The flowers are perfect, white or cream coloured, and borne in a cyme. The entire inflorescence is about 4-15 cm) across and nearly flat topped. The fruit is globose, edible, and blue-black with a glaucous bloom that makes it appear to be powder blue. GROWING PERIOD: It is a short lived perennial. USE: The fruit is used for wine, jellies, candy, pies, and sauces. Many wildlife species use the fruit and leaves for food. COMMON NAMES: Western elderberry, Blue elderberry, Blueberry elder. FURTHER INF: It prefers moist, well-drained sunny sites. It is found on forested sites where it may persist in openings, in ravines, alongside roads in drier habitat types, along fence rows or in stream valleys. It is frost tolerant.
Sources
SOURCES Roecklein J 1987 pp 245 [USE, TEXT, DRA] Duke J 1975 pp 26 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Duke J 1979 pp 108 [PH, RAIN, TEMP]