American Elder
Sambucus nigra spp canadensis
Family: Caprifoliaceae
What it is like
Sambucus canadensis, commonly called American elder, is native to eastern North America. The Royal Horticultural Society currently lists American elder as Sambucus nigra var. canadensis.
Sambucus nigra spp canadensis is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.
Height (m): 4
Where it is found
Rich moist soils along streams and rivers, woodland margins and waste ground.
Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Manitoba and Texas.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Fruit - raw or cooked. A bittersweet flavour, the fruits are about 5mm in diameter and are borne in large clusters. They are at their best after being dried, the fresh raw fruit has a rather rank taste. The fruit is normally cooked and used in pies, jams, jellies, sauces, bread etc. Rich in vitamin C. Some caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity. Flowers - raw or cooked. They are often covered in batter and made into fritters. The flowers can be picked when unopened, pickled and then used as a flavouring in candies etc. They can also be soaked in water to make a drink. A pleasant tasting tea is made from the dried flowers. Young shoots are said to be edible when cooked and to be used as an asparagus substitute though, since the leaves are also said to be poisonous, this report should be viewed with some doubt.
Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 3
American elder was widely employed as a medicinal herb by many native North American tribes who used it to treat a wide range of complaints. It is still commonly used as a domestic remedy. A tea made from the inner bark and root bark is diuretic, emetic and a strong laxative. A tea made from the root bark is used to promote labour in childbirth and in treating headaches, kidney problems and mucous congestion. The inner bark is also applied as a poultice to cuts, sore or swollen limbs etc in order to relieve pain and swelling. A poultice of the leaves is applied to bruises and to cuts in order to stop the bleeding. An infusion of the leaf buds is strongly purgative. Elder flowers are stimulant, diaphoretic and diuretic. A warm tea of the flowers is stimulant and induces sweating, taken cold it is diuretic. It is used in the treatment of fevers and infant colic. An infusion of the leaves and flowers is used as an antiseptic wash for skin problems, wounds etc. The fresh juice of the fruit, evaporated into a syrup, is laxative. It also makes a good ointment for treating burns when mixed with an oily base. The dried fruit can be made into a tea that is useful in the treatment of cholera and diarrhoea. Some caution should be exercised if using any part of the plant fresh since it can cause poisoning.
Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
Cholera: Used in the treatment of cholera - an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Kidney: Used in the treatment of kidney diseases
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Purgative: A drastic laxative causing a cleansing or watery evacuation of the bowels, usually with a griping pain.
Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating: 3
Agroforestry Uses: When grown near a compost heap, the root activity of this plant encourages fermentation in the compost heap. Other Uses: The leaves and inner bark of young shoots are used as an insect repellent, the dried flowering shoots are said to repel insects and rodents. A decoction of the leaves can be used as an insecticide. It is prepared by boiling 3 - 4 handfuls of leaves in a litre of water, then straining and allowing to cool before applying. Effective against many insects, it also treats various fungal infections such as leaf rot and powdery mildew. A black dye is obtained from the bark. When grown near a compost heap, the root activity of this plant encourages fermentation in the compost heap. The stems can be easily hollowed out to be used as drains in tapping the sap from trees such as the Sugar Maples (Acer spp). the stems can also be used as whistles and flutes.
Compost: Plants used for activating compost heaps, providing biomass for composting, using as instant compost etc.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.
Insecticide: Kills insects.
Musical: Specific mention of plants used as musical instruments. Does not include the various woods that can be used for making musical instruments.
Pipes: For carrying water etc.
Plant breeding: Used in producing new species of plants or improved varieties.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow: Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
Industrial Crop: Dye: Botanical dyes replacing synthetic dyes (known as heavy polluters).
Industrial Crop: Medicinal: Most pharmaceuticals are synthesized from petroleum but 25% of modern medicines are based on plants.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow: Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
Industrial Crop: Dye: Botanical dyes replacing synthetic dyes (known as heavy polluters).
Industrial Crop: Medicinal: Most pharmaceuticals are synthesized from petroleum but 25% of modern medicines are based on plants.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Hedge: Hedge
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Tolerates most soils, including chalk, but prefers a moist loamy soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates some shade but is best in a sunny position. Tolerates atmospheric pollution and coastal situations. A very hardy plant, when dormant it tolerates temperatures down to about -34°c. The flowers have a muscatel smell. A fast-growing but short-lived plant, it often forms thickets by means of root suckers. It is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit, there are several named varieties, though these have mainly been developed for their ornamental value. Yields of up to 7kg of fruit per tree have been recorded. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots forming a plate near the soil surface. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from underground runners away from the plant.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame, when it should germinate in early spring. Stored seed can be sown in the spring in a cold frame but will probably germinate better if it is given 2 months warm followed by 2 months cold stratification first. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If good growth is made, the young plants can be placed in their permanent positions during the early summer. Otherwise, either put them in a sheltered nursery bed, or keep them in their pots in a sheltered position and plant them out in spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm with a heel, late autumn in a frame or a sheltered outdoor bed. Division of suckers in the dormant season.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 3-9
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The leaves and stems of this species are poisonous. The fruit has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. The unripe fruit contains a toxic alkaloid and cyanogenic glycosides. Any toxin the fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxicity and is destroyed when the fruit is cooked.
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Sambucus canadensis. Sambucus mexicana