Red elderberry
Sambucus adnata
Family: Adoxaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows about 3 m high. The leaves have stalks. They have an odd number of leaflets. The leaflets have short stalks. They are oblong to sword shaped and taper to the tip. They have teeth along the edge and are softly hairy. Flowers are white. They occur in spreading flat topped arrangements at the ends of branches.
There are about 25 Sambucus species. There are about 10 Sambucus species in tropical America. Sambucus have now been reduced to 9 species. Also put in the family Sambucaceae.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical to temperate plant. In China it grows beside streams and on moist shaded mountain slopes and alpine grasslands between 1,600-3,600 m above sea level. In Nepal it grows between 2000-3700 m altitude. It grows in open places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Sikkim, Tibet
How it is used for food
The young shoots and leaves are cooked as a vegetable. They are also pickled. The ripe fruit are eaten fresh.
Edible parts
Leaves, fruit, stems
How it is grown
Plants are grown from cuttings.
Its other names
Local names
Chanbhang, Chiriyabang, Deng ga ya mi, Deng jie mai li, Mayakot, Moti phul, Shousi, Wamdong