General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Wet Mesic
Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5)
Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Plant Height: 10-20 feet
Plant Spread: 10-12 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Broadleaf
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Fruiting Time: Summer
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Spring
Uses: Will Naturalize
Suitable for forage
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Cooked
Fermented
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Hummingbirds
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Roots are poisonous
Other: Contain cyanide-producing toxins. Berries may be eaten cooked or fermented.
Pollinators: Various insects
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Red Elderberry
  • Red Elder

Photo Gallery
Location: Giant Staircase, Mount Timpanogos Wilderness, Utah County, Utah, United States
Date: 2023-07-07
Location: Banff Canada
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2009-05-17

Date: c. 1800-05
illustration by P. J. Redouté from Duhamel's 'Traité des arbres
Location: Botanical Garden of Utrecht
Date: 2014-04-06
Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2018-05-08
A volunteer
Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2009-05-17
Location: Botanical Garden of Pardines
credit: PePeEfe

Photo courtesy of: Jose Vicente Ferrandez
Location: Albion Basin, Alta, Utah, United States
Date: 2020-08-12
Location:  Jasper, Canada | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-04
Location: Hohe Tauern - Austria
Location: Hohe Tauern - Austria
Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Location: Foothills of the Cascades in Oregon
Date: 2015-05-14
Location: Banff, Canada | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-03
Location: Beautiful Tennessee/Roaring Fork Motor Trail
Date: June 1, 2015
Location:  Jasper, Canada | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-04
Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2016-06-09
Young berries
Location: Botanical Garden of Utrecht
Date: 2012-04-18
Location: Botanical Garden of Utrecht
Date: 2012-04-18
Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2014-04-16
Location: Albion Basin, Alta, Utah, United States
Date: 2020-08-12
Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: April 2014
Weaving through a cedar tree
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2014-05-10
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2014-05-10
A young plant.
Uploaded by Anderwood
Comments:
  • Posted by Bonehead (Planet Earth - Zone 8b) on Oct 28, 2012 3:31 PM concerning plant:
    Native in the Pacific Northwest, and in much of North America, except the southern states. Found in forests, fields, and wet areas. Grows rapidly from berries planted by birds. The fruit is high in ascorbic acid. The stems, bark, leaves, and roots contain cyanide producing toxins, but the berries may be consumed after cooking (for jellies or wine).

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