Blue Elderberry

Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea

a shrub with compound leaves and white bunches of small flowers

Plant Description

Blue elderberry is a fast-growing deciduous shrub or small tree native to riparian areas, woodland edges, and open slopes across western North America. It can reach 10–30 feet tall, with pinnately compound leaves and large clusters of small, creamy-white flowers that bloom in spring to early summer, attracting a wide range of pollinators. By late summer, it produces heavy clusters of bluish-purple berries with a whitish bloom, which are a valuable food source for birds & mammals, and is used as a traditional medicine by native people (when properly prepared). Ecologically, blue elderberry is a keystone species, supporting pollinator and wildlife communities while stabilizing soils in riparian and upland habitats.

Plant Details

Life Forms	Shrub
Habitats	Bottomland forests Conifer forests Forest edges Forest openings Forest understories Forests Gardens Little Habitats Mixed hardwood-conifer forests Prairies Residential yards Riparian areas Riparian forests Rivers Seeps Streams Trailsides Waterways Woodlands
Soil and Moisture Conditions	Dry to moist Well drained
Special Uses	Attracts birds Attracts hummingbirds Attracts pollinators and or other beneficial insects Blooms July Blooms June Blooms May Deciduous Deer resistant Drought tolerant Erosion control Flowering Flowers white Good for shady woodland garden Hedgerow Perennial Produces berries Produces fruit Produces nectar Produces pollen Produces seeds Provides soil stabilization Provides wildlife habitat Restoration/revegetation Woody
Shade Preference	Full sun Part shade
Mature Height	10-30'