Sambucus Nigra? - Ask Extension
Good morning! Before feeding this to my family, I wanted to make sure these are indeed Sambucus Nigra and it is safe to make syrup from them?
Knowledgebase
Sambucus Nigra? #809297
Asked September 03, 2022, 10:43 AM EDT
Good morning! Before feeding this to my family, I wanted to make sure these are indeed Sambucus Nigra and it is safe to make syrup from them?
Lane County Oregon
Expert Response
It looks like Sambucus nigra, but I would want to see the flowers and an entire leaf (pinnately compound, with 3-7 leaflets) before giving a confirmed id.
Here you go! Thank you for your help!
That looks like elderberry. The flowers are yellowish-white and have five rounded petals (and visible stamens, though I couldn't count how many). Leaves are serrated, opposite, and pinnately compounded, and it looks like they have 5-11 leaflets though it is hard to tell from the photos alone. The berries dark purplish, look to be about 1/8th of an inch in diameter, and ripening at the end of summer. Don't eat the berries raw, they need to be cooked. When consuming plants you aren't familiar with, always start by tasting a very small amount, wait 24 hours, and if all is well, then you can consume more.