Herb: Red Elder


Latin name: Sambucus microbotrys


Synonyms: Sambucus racemosus pubens microbotrys


Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)



Edible parts of Red Elder:

Flowers - raw or cooked. Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is about 4mm in diameter and is borne in large clusters. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Moist places, 1800 - 3300 metres in California.

Propagation of Red Elder:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame, when it should germinate in early spring. Stored seed can be sown in the spring in a cold frame but will probably germinate better if it is given 2 months warm followed by 2 months cold stratification first. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If good growth is made, the young plants can be placed in their permanent positions during the early summer. Otherwise, either put them in a sheltered nursery bed, or keep them in their pots in a sheltered position and plant them out in spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm with a heel, late autumn in a frame or a sheltered outdoor bed.

Cultivation of the herb:

Moist places, 1800 - 3300 metres in California.

Medicinal use of Red Elder:

None known

Known hazards of Sambucus microbotrys:

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the leaves and stems of some, if not all, members of this genus are poisonous. The fruit of many species (although no records have been seen for this species) has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Any toxin the fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxicity and is destroyed when the fruit is cooked.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.