256 MISC. PUBLICATION 803, 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. Ohservafions (in addition to specific records) : Thirty- 
four species of birds, including band-tailed pigeon, porcupine, Olympic black 
bear. 
Sambucus caerulea Eaf. (pi. 37, B) . Blueberry elder. 
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. veliitina (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 8. vestitQ' Woot. and Standi. 
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 calllearpa Greene. Hedberry 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. Ohserva- 
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, 2-5, 26. 27, 2S, 29. 30. 
Site: Well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 
Fruit : Berry, available August-October. 
A large stolonif erous shrub ; flowers June-July ; produces seed 4 years after 
sovidng ; the fresh leaves, berries, flowers, and roots yield hydrocyanic acid ; 
cooking breaks up the cyanogenetic glucosides : grows on coal-stripped lands in 
Illinois : 175,000^68,000 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 Grav. 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. 
