Sambucus- Elder

Question 1

Sambucus

Answer 1

Elder

Question 2

Sambucus racemosa

Answer 2

European Redberry Elder

Question 3

European Redberry Elder

Answer 3

Upright variable but broad mostly rounded crown, deciduous
large shrub/small tree
can be pruned to single trunk; most commonly a multi-stemmed shrub
has become naturalized; wherever birds move the fruit/seeds to

Question 4

European Redberry elder- buds

Answer 4

Opposite
tip kill very common on elders
green/brown
large (3 mm diameter)
internodal distance often great (10-15 cm)
buds often not the same size
multiple overlapping scales
lenticel bumps on stems
buds and growth have a very distinct look

Question 5

European Redberry Elder- leaves

Answer 5

Compound, 5-7 leaflets per leaf
ovate to elliptic to ovate-lanceolate
terminal leaflet different shape than other leaflets
bottom set of leaflets often smaller than other leaflets
short petioles (usually less than 6 mm)
acuminate leaf tip
acute base
sharp serrate margins
darker green above
lighter green below

Question 6

Sambucus racemosa ‘Redman’- leaves

Answer 6

very dissected leaflets

Question 7

European Redberry elder- cultivars

Answer 7

cultivars with leaves somewhere between sharp serrate and very incised/dissected
shallow incised or very deep serrations

Question 8

European Redberry elder- flowers

Answer 8

white/yellowish flowers; quite ornamental
dense ovoid or oblong ovoid panicles, showy, 10-15 cm;white- creamy-white

Question 9

European Redberry elder- fruit

Answer 9

Fleshy, berry like drupe
red
matures in early to mid august; 1-3 seeds per fruit
poisonous when raw
showy with red fruit; can have lots of fruit which is why it is so naturalized by birds

Question 10

European Redberry elder- stems

Answer 10

new stems green to tanny brown; gray brown with age; lenticel bumps; old wood slightly furrowed
conspicuous brown pith; not woody

Question 11

Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland’

Question 12

Sambucus nigra

Answer 12

Black elder

Question 13

Sambucus canadensis

Answer 13

very similar to black elder
native to a large area including the Atlantic provinces and most of Eastern US down into central american, suckering shrub, large clusters of black edible fruit

Question 14

Black elder

Answer 14

multi-stemmed
fairly dense
upright globe shaped
keep branches low to the ground
broad round crown
deciduous shrub
can have extensive growth each year

Question 15

Black Elder- leaves

Answer 15

compound; 5-9 leaflets
elliptic to lanceolate
short petioles/subsessile
acuminate leaf tip
serrate margins
acute base
terminal leaflet often a different shape than others
bottom set of leaflets often smaller than others

Question 16

Black elder- flowers

Answer 16

perfect, white flowers
large corymb, 10-25 cm across
quite showy

Question 17

Black elder- fruit

Answer 17

fleshy berry-like drupe
purple to black
edible
fruit matures in late september

Question 18

Black elder- stem

Answer 18

white pith