Sambucus caerulea, Blue Elderberry, Pacific Northwest Native Plants, Sparrowhawk Native Plants, Oregon, Large Shrub
Sambucus caerulea, Blue Elderberry, Pacific Northwest Native Plants, Sparrowhawk Native Plants, Oregon, Large Shrub
Close-up of the flower umbel of Sambucus caerulea, Blue Elderberry, Pacific Northwest Native Plants, Sparrowhawk Native Plants, Oregon, Large Shrub

Blue Elderberry

Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea

  • Size at maturity: 10-25' tall, 18' wide
  • Canopy layer: large shrub
  • Light requirements: full sun, part sun/part shade
  • Moisture requirements: moist to dry soil
  • Growth rate: fast
  • Special features: edible, medicinal, wildlife favorite

Blue Elderberry is an important source of food for a number of creatures. Deer eat the young shoots and leaves, and the fruits are consumed by squirrels, chipmunks and many species of birds. The large flattened clusters of small white flowers appears on the Blue Elderberry from May to July. They are soon replaced by clusters of blue berries with a whitish bloom that ripen in September. (Portland Plant List, 2016)

Photo Credit 1: "Sky blue berries?" by Elaine with Grey Cats is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo Credit 2: "Blue Elderberry Tree Sambucus caerulea" by Bugldy99 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Photo Credit 3: "Schwarzer Holunder (Sambucus nigra)" by blumenbiene is licensed under CC BY 2.0