Elder
Elder in hedgerow
Close-up of flower cluster
Newly-opened flowers, cream anthers, capitate stigmas
Mature flowers -with darker anthers
Ripe fruit
Leaves
Sambucus nigra
Adoxaceae
May to August
It is found throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Elder
Elder is common on nitrogen-rich waste ground, warrens,
grassland, woodland and scrub, and beside roads and
railways.
It is a native, deciduous, shrub or small tree, growing
up to 10m.
The flowers are in flat-topped, umbel-like clusters, up
to 20cm.
Individual flowers are white, 5-merous with cream anthers
and a short, white style.
Anthers darken with aging.
Fruits are juicy, purple to black, round berries (up
to 8mm).
Leaves are green, pinnate and with 5 leaflets.
Stems are straight with a soft central pith.
The pith is used to hold specimens for sectioning for
microscopy, and the empty stems for making pop-guns
(well they were when I was a lad).
Previous page: Eastern Gladiolus
Next page: Escallonia
Elder in hedgerow
Close-up of flower cluster
Newly-opened flowers, cream anthers, capitate stigmas
Mature flowers -with darker anthers
Ripe fruit
Leaves
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