Featured Plant

Sambucus racemosa 

The red elderberry is native to North America, Europe and Asia. As a deciduous shrub or small tree, it can reach 18 feet in height. Delicate white flowers in large pyramidal-shaped clusters appear from May to mid-summer followed by bright red or, more rarely, yellow inedible berries in the fall. The flowers often attract native butterfly and bird species. The leaves are pinnate with 5-7 leaflets, each leaflet reaching 2-6 inches long.

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It grows on moist slopes and flats, in wooded canyons, and from sea level up to 6,000 feet. They grow fast and can tolerate wet winters. In cultivation it is usually undemanding of care and thrives in reasonably well-drained soil in both sun and shade.

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The fruit of black (blue) elderberry, Sambucus nigra, which has a flat-topped flower cluster and blue-black fruits, are edible and have been used medicinally to treat flu symptoms, alleviate allergies and boost overall respiratory health. The flowers can be used to produce an elderflower cordial. The Italian liqueur sambuca contains oil from the elderflower, and in Germany, yogurt desserts are made with both the berries and the flowers.