Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere.
Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere.
Sambucus nigra (unconfirmed)
I'm fairly sure this is S.nigra but I've never ID'd an elder before. The elder around here all have black/purple berries. The berries are edible (although they do contain small amounts of cyanide and so shouldn't be eaten in large quantities). I think I read some people are more sensitive than others and so trying out a small number of berries would probably be a good idea to start with. The flowers can be made into cordial. The tree can be the host of 'Judas' Ear' fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae), perhaps only when the tree has died? In any case 'Judas' Ear' is edible and medicinal (although also dangerous in high amounts)
Some people wouldn't like eating the berries from this particular plant because of how close it is to the road.
Lat: 53.37, Long: -2.01
Spotted on Jun 23, 2012
Submitted on Jun 30, 2012
1 Comment
I also think it is S. nigra. We have some introduced population of this species in mexican temperate forests, some experts suggest these populations are either european or canadian. We dont eat the fruits but ive heard europeans make some kind of wine with it (?). Here in my country people at the site use it to make a religious ceremony (to throw away bad spirits). Berries are very surely dispersed by birds.