Sambucus melanocarpa
| Sambucus melanocarpa | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 13' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Sambucus melanocarpa (common name: black 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].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].
Range: Western N. America.
Habitat: Moist places in California, 1800 - 3600 metres, and northwards to Canada[7].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[8][9]. Low in pectin, it is best mixed with crab-apples or other pectin-rich fruits if used in making jams, jellies etc[10]. 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.
Medicinal: The dried ripe berries have been eaten as a treatment for diarrhoea[11].
A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[11]. A poultice of the boiled, mashed roots has been used as a treatment for caked breasts, cuts and wounds.[11]
A decoction of the flowers has been used in the treatment of tuberculosis, coughs and colds[11]. It has also been given to children as a spring tonic[11].
A poultice of the crushed leaves has been used to treat bruises and bleeding wounds[11].
Pollinators: Insects
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: Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the leaves and stems of some, if not all, members of this genus are poisonous[12][13]. The fruit of many species (although no records have been seen for this species) has been known to cause stom
Also Known As: S. racemosa pubens melanocarpa. (Gray.)McMinn.
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.
- ↑ Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 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.