Sambucus canadensis

It is a deciduous suckering shrub growing to 3 m or more tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, pinnate with five to nine leaflets, the leaflets around 10 cm long and 5 cm broad. In summer, it bears large (20–30 cm diameter) corymbs of white flowers above the foliage, the individual flowers 5–6 mm diameter, with five petals.

The fruit (known as an elderberry) is a dark purple to black berry 3–5 mm diameter, produced in drooping clusters in the fall.

It is closely related to the European Sambucus nigra. Some authors treat it as conspecific, under the name Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis.[4]

The flower, known as elderflower, is edible, as well as the ripe berries when cooked. Other parts of the plant, such as leaves, stems, roots, seeds and unripe fruits, are toxic[5][6] due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides, and alkaloids.[7] Because of the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in the seeds, the fruit should not be eaten raw in much quantity. Traditional methods of consuming elderberry includes jams, jellies, and syrups, all of which cook down the fruit and strain out the seeds.

Uses for the fruit include wine, jelly and dye. Leaves and inner bark can be used as an insecticide and a dye.[8] Leaves are also traditionally used in herbalism topically.

The genus name comes from the Greek word sambuce, an ancient wind instrument, in reference to the removal of pith from the twigs of this and other species to make whistles.[9][10]