Black Elderberry

Sambucus nigra L.

The black elder is a common shrub or small tree with creamy-white flower clusters and dark purple to black berries.

For herbal preparations, the flowers are primarily used. Elderflowers are traditionally used to relieve the early symptoms of a cold.

Profile

  • German name: Black Elderberry
  • Botanical name: Sambucus nigra L.
  • Family: Viburnaceae (Viburnum family)
  • Plant type: Deciduous shrub or small tree
  • Height: Usually 3 to 7 meters
  • Flowering period: Usually May through July
  • Fruit Harvest Season: Late summer through early fall
  • Parts of the plant used: Flowers and ripe fruit
  • Smell: Flowers with an intense, sweet, and aromatic scent

Black elder grows as a densely branched shrub or small tree. Young branches have a strikingly light-colored, soft pith.

The leaves in question are imparipinnate and usually consist of five to seven serrated leaflets.

The small, creamy-white flowers grow in large, flat umbels. They develop into numerous small, glossy fruits that turn dark purple to black when ripe.

Related health topics:

  • The Immune System & the Common Cold
  • Cough & Cold
  • Cold