Sambucus - Species Groups

Species Groups

• The black-berried elder complex is variously treated as a single species Sambucus nigra found in the warmer parts of Europe and North America with several regional varieties or subspecies, or else as a group of several similar species. The flowers are in flat corymbs, and the berries are black to glaucous blue; they are larger shrubs, reaching 3–8 m (9.8–26 ft) tall, occasionally small trees up to 15 m (49 ft) tall and with a stem diameter of up to 30–60 cm (12–24 in).
  • Sambucus australis (Southern Elder; temperate eastern South America)
  • Sambucus canadensis (syn. S. nigra ssp canadensis; American Elder; eastern North America; with blue-black berries)
  • Sambucus cerulea (syn. S. caerulea, S. glauca; Blue Elderberry, nō-kōm-hē-i′-nē, Konkow language); western North America; dark blue-black berries with glaucous bloom on surface, giving them a sky-blue appearance)
  • Sambucus javanica (Chinese Elder; southeastern Asia)
  • Sambucus nigra (Elder or Black Elder; Europe and western Asia; with black berries) This is the species most often used medicinally.
  • Sambucus lanceolata (Madeira Elder; Madeira Island; with black berries)
  • Sambucus mexicana (Mexican Elder; Sonoran Desert; with black berries)
  • Sambucus palmensis (Canary Islands Elder; Canary Islands; with black berries)
  • Sambucus peruviana (Peruvian Elder; northwest South America; with black berries)
  • Sambucus simpsonii (Florida Elder; southeastern United States; with blue-black berries)
  • Sambucus velutina (Velvet Elder; southwestern North America; with blue-black berries)

• The Blackberry Elder Sambucus melanocarpa of western North America is intermediate between the preceding and next groups. The flowers are in rounded panicles, but the berries are black; it is a small shrub, rarely exceeding 3–4 m (9.8–13 ft) tall. Some botanists include it in the red-berried elder group.

• The red-berried elder complex is variously treated as a single species Sambucus racemosa found throughout the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere with several regional varieties or subspecies, or else as a group of several similar species. The flowers are in rounded panicles, and the berries are bright red; they are smaller shrubs, rarely exceeding 3–4 m (9.8–13 ft) tall.
  • Sambucus callicarpa (Pacific Coast Red Elderberry; west coast of North America)
  • Sambucus chinensis (Chinese Red Elder; eastern Asia, in mountains)
  • Sambucus latipinna (Korean Red Elder; Korea, southeast Siberia)
  • Sambucus microbotrys (Mountain Red Elder; southwest North America, in mountains)
  • Sambucus pubens (American Red Elder; northern North America)
  • Sambucus racemosa (European Red Elder or Red-berried Elder; northern Europe, northwest Asia)
  • Sambucus sieboldiana (Japanese Red Elder; Japan and Korea)
  • Sambucus tigranii (Caucasus Red Elder; southwest Asia, in mountains)
  • Sambucus williamsii (North China Red Elder; northeast Asia)

• The Australian elder group comprises two species from Australasia. The flowers are in rounded panicles, and the berries white or yellow; they are shrubs growing to 3 m (9.8 ft) high.
  • Sambucus australasica (Yellow Elder; New Guinea, eastern Australia)
  • Sambucus gaudichaudiana (Australian Elder or White Elder; shady areas of south eastern Australia)

• The dwarf elders are, by contrast to the other species, herbaceous plants, producing new stems each year from a perennial root system; they grow to 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft) tall, each stem terminating in a large flat umbel which matures into a dense cluster of glossy berries.
  • Sambucus adnata (Asian Dwarf Elder; Himalaya and eastern Asia; berries red)
  • Sambucus ebulus (European Dwarf Elder; central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia; berries black)

Other species:

• Sambucus melanocarpa Gray (western elder)

• Sambucus neomexicana Wooton (New Mexico elder)

• Sambucus mexicana Presl. (Mexican elderberry; western Texas to southern California and adjacent Mexico (tapiro in Spanish))

• Sambucus velutina Dur. & Hilg. (velvet elder; mountains of western Arizona)

• Sambucus coerula Raf.(western elder; British Columbia to Arizona and California)