Sambucus caerulea
| Sambucus caerulea | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 10' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Sambucus caerulea (common name: blue elder)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame, when it should germinate in early spring. Stored seed can be sown in the spring in a cold frame but will probably germinate better if it is given 2 months warm followed by 2 months cold stratification first[1][2][3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If good growth is made, the young plants can be placed in their permanent positions during the early summer. Otherwise, either put them in a sheltered nursery bed, or keep them in their pots in a sheltered position and plant them out in spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[1].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth 15 - 20cm with a heel, late autumn in a frame or a sheltered outdoor bed[1].
Cultivation: Tolerates most soils, including chalk[4], but prefers a moist loamy soil[5][4]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates some shade but is best in a sunny position[6]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution and coastal situations[4].
A fast-growing but short-lived tree in the wild[7]. A shrub at Kew in September 1993 was carrying a good crop of tasty fruits[K].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].
Range: Western N. America - British Columbia to California, east to Montana, Texas and Mexico.
Habitat: Gravelly, rather dry soils on stream banks, margins of fields, woodlands etc[8][9].
Edibility: Fruit - raw, cooked or used in preserves[10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Rather sweet and juicy but full of small seeds[9][17], this is the best flavoured of the North American elders[18]. The fruit is rather nice raw, seven people ate and enjoyed a small quantity of the raw fruit with no ill effects[K]. The fruit can be dried for later use[16]. A somewhat rank taste fresh[19], the fruit is usually dried before being used[15]. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter and is borne in large clusters[4]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Flowers - raw or cooked in fritters etc[12][13][14][15]. Very pleasant and refreshing raw[K].
A pleasant tea is made from the dried flowers[8][15].
Medicinal: Haemostatic[14].
An infusion or extract made from the flowers, bark and root has been used to cure fevers and gripe, it is also laxative[20].
A decoction of the plant has been used as an antiseptic wash to treat itches[16].
The bark is analgesic and astringent[16]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea and rheumatism[16]. A decoction has been used as a wash in the treatment of swellings and pain[16]. An ointment made by mixing the bark with fat has been used externally in the treatment of burns, ulcers, skin irritations etc[20]. The fresh bark has been placed in a tooth cavity to ease the pain of toothache[16].
The inner bark is strongly emetic[16].
The leaves are analgesic, antiseptic, diaphoretic, febrifuge and purgative[16]. A decoction has been used in the treatment of new colds[16]. An infusion of the leaves and flowers has been used as a steam bath in the treatment of colds and headaches[16]. A decoction of the leaves has been used as an antiseptic wash on limbs affected by blood poisoning[16]. The crushed leaves have been used as a poultice to treat burns and swollen hands[16].
A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of bladder problems and dyspepsia[16].
A decoction of the flowers has been used in the treatment of stomach troubles and lung complaints[16]. Applied externally, it has been used to treat sprains and bruises and as an antiseptic wash for open sores and itches[16].
A wine made from the fruit has been used as a tonic[16].
Usage: A decoction of the leaves, when watered on plants, repels caterpillars[14]. The dried flower stems repel insects and rodents[19].
The hollow stems can be used as flutes and pipes[16].
The pith of the stems has been used as a tinder for lighting fires[16].
Wood - light, soft, weak, coarse grained. Of no commercial value, though it is used locally for flutes, skewers, pegs, straws etc[9][14][21][7].
Pollinators: Insects
Notes: We could supply the plant in the same year we obtained the seed.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Pollution: Tolerates environmental pollution.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: The leaves, green fruits and stems of some (if not all) members of this genus are poisonous[22][23][20]. The fruit of this species has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Any toxin the fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxici
Also Known As: S. glauca. S. neomexicana.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ Gordon, A and D Rowe. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 1982.
- ↑ Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Elias, Thomas. The Complete Trees of North America. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Simmons, Alan. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles, 1972.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bryan, John and Coralie Castle. Edible Ornamental Garden. Pitman Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Harrington, Harold. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press, 1967.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Sweet, Muriel. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co, 1962.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 16.16 16.17 16.18 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples. UBC Press Vancouver, 1995.
- ↑ Davis, Ray and Frank Craighead. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers. The Riverside Press, 1963.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Turner, Nancy. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1978.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Lauriault, Jean. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1989.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum, 1979.
- ↑ Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Cooper, Marion. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. The Stationery Office, 1984.