Foothills, montane. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Priest Gulch Trail, September 29, 2009.

Sambucus nigra grows to twelve feet tall with flower clusters from two to eight inches across.  The plant is found in all counties of Utah and Arizona, most counties of New Mexico, and just a few counties of Colorado. It is pictured on this page in moist bottomlands near a creek but it is also found on drier sites.

Linnaeus named this genus in 1753 and Rafinesque named the species in 1838 from specimens collected by Meriwether Lewis in the Oregon Territory perhaps sin 1805. 

"Sambucus", an ancient musical instrument, refers to the use of the hollow stems as a whistle and "nigra" means "black or dark ".

Sambucus nigra.  (Blue Elderberry).  Synonym: Sambucus coerulea.
Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)

Foothills, montane. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Priest Gulch Trail, September 29, 2009.

Thick-pithed stems grow a number of feet in a year and can be one-to-five inches in diameter.

Sambucus nigra.  (Blue Elderberry).  Synonym: Sambucus coerulea.
Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)

Foothills, montane. Woodlands, openings. Spring.
Priest Gulch Trail, September 29, 2009.

The inflorescence of this Sambucus is flat-topped in contrast to the pyramidal shape of S. racemosa.  Berries of S. nigra are numerous, blue, and, according to Stanley Welsh, great in pancakes.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Sambucus nigra