Black Elderberry

Sambucus nigra

Dimensions:

• Height: 6’ - 13’

• Mature spread: clonal, a shrub that grows in patches

• Diameter of Stem: 3”

Habitat and Range:

• likes moist, edge habitat

• prefers full sun

• found in all Kentucky counties

Features:

• a large, multi-stemmed shrub

• cooking removes the toxic substances in the berries

• fruit is used in wine, pies and jellies

• bees, wasps, and butterflies are attracted to the flowers

• food source for birds, squirrels, and bears

• crushed leaves have an unpleasant odor

History:

• used as a folk medicine for colds and flu; the effectiveness confirmed by recent research

• berries once thought to ward off evil spirits

• the Greek word “sambuce” means an ancient wind instrument; this refers to the removal of pith in the twigs to make whistles