I can never recall what this shrub is called. I always have to look it up. (getting older) It is Red-berried Elder or Sambucus racemosa. It always blooms after the Pin Cherries but before the Chokecherries.
The flowers are upright pyramid shaped. Red berried Elder’s berries are bright red.
We have one along our driveway. My baby brother has many of these in bloom at his lake place.
If it gets berries they are poisonous…but birds can eat them.
Reminder to my baby brother who has eight grands five years old and under…all berries except wild raspberries are off limits to small children. These will likely get frozen and not produce berries but just in case. Good thing these are tall shrubs…but you never can tell what kids will do.
It should not be confused with the Common Elderberry or Sambucus canadensis which has flat topped flowers and blooms later and has purple berries…from which some homemade wine is made.
If you live near the woods do you research all the plants that bloom that may produce berries?
I remember my daughter eating poisonous berries in South Africa. Not fun!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had those shrubs that are the mock orange bush? Oh they smell so sweet.
ReplyDeleteThose are very pretty. I have tons of Elderberry around here. I wonder if you can make Elderberry jelly ??? Hmmmmm!
Yes you can. And cordial. And you can dip the flowers in batter and fry them if you fancy. Just remember to give them a good bash so any insects fall off.
DeleteI have learned not to eat anything that I am not 100% sure what it is. Good advice to your bay brother about watching his grand babies.
ReplyDeleteGlad those poisonous flowers are so high up. It's scary to think what little ones will put in their mouths.
ReplyDeleteI never eat anything that I don’t know for sure what it is. We do have huckleberries growing up by the lake but we rarely get any because they are in such high demand and very sparse. Since the bears really like them,the people take a backseat to picking! It’s a great reminder to all of us with little ones around.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Betsy
I wish elderberries grew here. I would love to learn how to use them for so many things. The ones we have here are deadly.
ReplyDeleteI am no Euell Gibbons (had to goggle him--LOL!) so am afraid to eat anything in the wild for fear of it being deadly or vomit inducing. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe red elderberry are a very common native species here, and there are always loads of red berries. They are fine cooked apparently, and one site said it is the seed that is poisonous, although the raw berry may cause nausea. Apparently the First Nations had many uses for the plant. I image the taste of them fresh off the bush wouldn't encourage further eating, but you never know with some kids! I'm sure I must have said something to my kids, but don't remember.
ReplyDeleteI should add that I have researched all the local berries that are produced in quantities, as potential jam/jelly ingredients. I have made jelly with a blue elderberry found in the Okanagan.
DeleteI don't research but native plants interest me. I'm usually with a plant person so I can ask them.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of plants similar to that but I don't know what any of them are...even after looking them up. They all look so much alike. I've never seen one with the tall white flowers like yours. Ours are flat. Ours have dark berries.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I use Google Earth for my research of plants, but that is thanks to people who have uploaded photos and then described the fauna in the area that I'm looking at in their pix. Thanks for sharing yours!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that birds can eat berries that would be poisonous to humans.
ReplyDeleteI live in a suburb near a big city but have a heavily wooded area behind my house. Not only do I worry about the wild plants, but one of the most common plants in my sub, but not in my yard, are yew bushes. The red berries are very tempting to kids. The berries aren’t poisonous but the seed inside is.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed! I have eaten the red berries (supervised by an expert) but there’s really no point. They reminded me of candles wax.
DeletePoisonous flowers can be so pretty and so dangerous
ReplyDeleteWell, I learned something. We have lots of the common elderberry here. I did not know there is a poisonous variety.
ReplyDelete