Blue Elderberry
(Scientific Name: Sambucus
glauca)
Description:
A large, usually clustered shrub or small tree, with brittle, pithy
stems covered with rough, furrowed bark. Opposite leaves are divided
into 5-9 lanceolate leaflets which are sharply serrate. Numerous,
small, white flowers form flat-topped clusters. Berries are nearly
black, but a coating of fine powdery material gives them a bluish
cast.
Habitat:
Damp places in woods and valleys. Blooms in June and ripens in the
fall.
Uses: The berries can be eaten raw or cooked.
They make excellent wine and jelly and are an excellent source of
vitamin C. Flower heads can be dipped in batter and fried like
fritters. It is reported that the juice squeezed from green leaves
and patted on the exposed area helpsto alleviate the effects of
poison oak.
