256 MISC. PUBLICATION 303, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



Sambucus spp. Elders. 



The blue- or black-fruited species are edible at least when cooked ; some red 

 berries have poisoned human beings; most species grow on slightly acid soil. 



Stomach records (in addition to specific records) : One hundred and eleven 

 species of birds, including ruffed grouse, dusky grouse, California quail, and 

 Gambel quail; opossum. Observations (in addition to specific records) : Thirty- 

 four species of birds, including band-tailed pigeon, porcupine, Olympic black 

 bear. 



Sambucus caerulea Raf. (pi. 37, B). Blueberry elder. 



S. glauca Nutt., /S. neomexicana Woot. 



Range : 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 . 

 Site : Dry, well-drained, moist, sun. 



Fruit : Berry ; available August-October, or rarely to December. 

 Usually a large shrub, more rarely a small to large tree ; flowers April-July ; 

 not gregarious; coppices freely, the sprouts growing as much as 15 feet in a 

 single year; berries produced abundantly; wood durable in contact with the 

 soil. 



Var. velutina, (Dur.) Schwer., (8. velutina Dur.), the velvet-leaf elder, occurs 

 in regions 4, 5, and 10. It has a limited value as browse for livestock and is 

 of outstanding importance as browse for mule deer. A form of the species 

 occurring in region 14 has been described as S. vestita Woot. and Standl. 



Stomach records: Nine species of birds, including ruffed grouse, California 

 quail, valley quail, and Gambel quail. Observations: Ring-necked pheasant; 

 much eaten by birds generally ; Rocky Mountain mule deer ; California mule 

 deer. Worthless to poor forage for sheep; worthless for cattle in the spring 

 and summer, but in the fall good to excellent. 



Sambucus callicarpa Greene. Redberry elder. 



Range : 1, 2, 4. 



Site : Dry, well-drained, moist, sun. 



Fruit: Berry; available June-September, occasionally persistent until 

 December. 



Commonly a large shrub or rarely a small to large tree ; flowers April-May ; 

 somewhat loosely-branched; coppices freely; sprouts may grow as much as 

 13 feet in one season; clump forming. 



Stomach records: Three species of birds, including sooty grouse. Observa- 

 tions: Sooty grouse, band-tailed pigeon. Good sheep and fairly good cattle 

 browse in the fall. 



Sambucus canadensis L. (pi. 38). American elder. 



Range : 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. 27, 28, 29, 30. 

 Site : Well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 

 Fruit : Berry, available August-October. 



A large stoloniferous shrub ; flowers June-July ; produces seed 4 years after 

 sowing ; the fresh leaves, berries, flowers, and roots yield hydrocyanic acid ; 

 cooking breaks up the cyanogenetic glucosides ; grows on coal-stripped lands in 

 Illinois : 175,000-468,000 seeds per pound. 



Stomach records: Forty-three species of birds, including ruffed grouse, bob- 

 white, and ring-necked pheasant ; composed 0.2 percent of total annual food, and 

 2.8 percent of fruit food of ring-necked pheasant in Michigan. Observations: 

 Sixteen species of birds, including mourning dove, wild turkey; an important 

 food of ring-necked pheasant in Michigan; red squirrel, captive marsh rabbit, 

 white-tailed deer. Highly palatable in the fall to livestock. 



Sambucus glauca, see Sambucus caerulea. 



Sambucus melanocarpa Gray. Black elder. 



Range : 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14. 

 Site: Moist, sun, shade. 

 Fruit : Berry, available July-September. 



A large shrub with comparatively thick foliage; flowers May-June; may 

 occur on rocky sites. Locally valuable as a fall forage for livestock. 

 Sambucus mexicana Presl. Mexican elder. 



S. caerulea arizonica Sarg. 

 Range : 5, 10, 11, 16, 17. 

 Site: Moist, sun. 



Fruit : Berry, said to be available the year around. 



A large shrub to small tree, said to be evergreen ; fruit rarely matures in New 

 Mexico. 



