Appearance
It is a deciduous suckering shrub growing to 3 m or more tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, pinnate with five to nine leaflets, the leaflets around 10 cm long and 5 cm broad. In summer, it bears large corymbs of white flowers above the foliage, the individual flowers 5–6 mm diameter, with five petals.The fruit is a dark purple to black berry 3–5 mm diameter, produced in drooping clusters in the fall.
Defense
Inedible parts of the plant, such as the leaves, stems, roots, seeds and unripe fruits, can be toxic at lethal doses due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides, and alkaloids. Traditional methods of consuming elderberry includes jams, jellies, and syrups, all of which cook down the fruit and strain out the seeds.
Uses
The flower, known as elderflower, is edible, as well as the ripe berries. Uses for the fruit include wine, jelly and dye. Leaves and inner bark can be used as an insecticide and a dye. Leaves are also traditionally used in herbalism topically.The genus name comes from the Greek word ''sambuce'', an ancient wind instrument, in reference to the removal of pith from the twigs of this and other species to make whistles. Other sources claim that the ''sambuca'' was an ancient stringed instrument made from the wood of the elder tree.
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