| Other Names | Common Elderberry, American Elderberry | ||||||||||||
| Scientific Name | Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis | ||||||||||||
| Family Name | Honeysuckle ( Caprifoliaceae ) | ||||||||||||
| Flat heads of small five petal-like lobed trumpets
Large shrub to 10 ft tall Flower:Multiple tiny flowers arranged in large convex or flattened heads with combined width of 4-10 inches across. Each flower is creamy white about 1/4 in across, trumpet shaped, ending in 5 petal like lobes. Leaves: Opposite, with 5-11 leaflets with tiny teeth. Fruit: Purplish-black berry 1/3 in. in diamter. Can be cooked and used for wine/jelly. Otherwise, plant parts are poisonous. | |||||||||||||
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Reference: Campbell and Lynn Loughmiller Texas Wildflowers, Revised Edition (2006) p. 88 George. Diggs, Jr., Barney Lipscomb and Robert O'Kennon Shinners & Mahler's Flora of North Central Texas p. 510 | |||||||||||||
May - September
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Group shot |
| A corymb: More or less flat-topped top head as lower branches are longer that upper. Unlike a cyme, inner flowers do not mature first. Unlike an umbel, branches do not arise together. |
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Tall Shrub |
| Steps have a large white pith. Central portion can be removed to make a hollow cylinder. |