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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Blue Elder
Sambucus cerulea Rat.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae)
Flowering: May-September
Field Marks: The flowers in this species form a flat-topped inflorescence. The blue berries are covered by a whitish waxy coat. The leaves are divided into 5-9 leaflets.
Habitat: Usually moist, open areas.
Habit: Many-stemmed shrub up to 25 feet tall, occasionally becoming tree-like.
Stems: Upright, soft and pithy, smooth, glaucous.
Leaves: Opposite, pinnately divided into 5-9 leaflets; leaflets lanceolate to narrowly ovate, up to 6 inches long, up to 2 inches wide, long-pointed at the tip, rounded at the asymmetrical base, toothed, smooth or slightly hairy.
Flowers: Many in a flat-topped, compound umber up to 8 inches across; flower stalks short, slender, smooth.
Sepals: 5, green, united, very small.
Petals: 5, white or cream-colored, united, up to 1/3 inch across, the lobes longer than the tube.
Stamens: 5, attached to the petals.
Pistils: Ovary inferior, smooth.
Fruits: Berries spherical, up to 1/4 inch in diameter, blue but covered with a whitish wax; nutlets wrinkled.
Notes: The berries can be eaten by man, as well as by a variety of birds.

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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Aug-2006 11:39:25 EDT
Menlo Park, CA [caww54]