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American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Photo by suzmonk
Published on Project Noah
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32.8291, -88.4767

Field Notes

Description:

Important food plant for animals and insects in the Southeast U.S. Very common, can grow 10-12 feet tall.

Habitat:

Around an abandoned house.

Notes:

From Wikipedia:

The berries are a very valuable food resource for many birds. In Northern California elderberries are a favorite food for migrating Band-tailed Pigeons. Flocks can strip an entire bush in less than an hour. Elders are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Brown-tail, Buff Ermine, Dot Moth, Emperor Moth, the Engrailed, Swallow-tailed Moth and the V-pug. The crushed foliage and immature fruit have a strong fetid smell. Valley elderberry longhorn beetle in California are very often found around red or blue elderberry bushes. Females lay their eggs on the bark. Larvae hatch and burrow into the stems.

The ripe, cooked berries of most Elderberry species are, apparently edible for humans. But uncooked berries and other parts of the plant are poisonous. So best to pass on eating it.

Fun fact: The most powerful wand in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a wand made of sambucus known as the "Elder Wand."

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