Plant Details

Sambucus racemosa

Red elder

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Common names

47 names · 33 languages
EnglishYour language
  • American red elderberry[1]
  • Red elder[1]
  • red elderberry[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • red-berried elder[1]
Other languages (32)
Dutch
  • Bergvlier
  • Trosvlier[1]
French
  • sureau de montagne[1]
  • sureau rameux[1]
  • Sureau rouge[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • sureau à grappes[1]
Armenian
  • Կտտկենի սովորական[1]
Belarusian
  • Бузіна чырвоная[1]
Catalan
  • Saüc racemós[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲接骨木[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲接骨木[1]
  • 紅果接骨木[1]
Czech
  • bez červený[1]
Danish
Downriver Halkomelem
  • t̕ᶿíwəq̓əɬp[1]
Estonian
  • punane leeder[1]
Finnish
  • terttuselja[1]
German
  • Berg-Holunder[1]
  • Hirsch-Holunder[1]
  • Roter Holunder[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Traubenholunder[1]
Hungarian
  • fürtös bodza[1]
Italian
  • Sambuco rosso[1]
Japanese
  • セイヨウアカミニワトコ[1]
Korean
Latvian
  • Sarkanais plūškoks[1]
Lithuanian
  • Raudonuogis šeivamedis[1]
Lushootseed
Mono
  • hubuhwiyha[1]
Norwegian
Ojibwe
  • Papaskatcîksi'gana'tîg[1]
Polish
  • Bez koralowy[1]
Portuguese
  • Sabugueiro-vermelho[1]
Russian
  • Бузина красная[1]
  • Бузина обыкновенная[1]
Slovak
  • baza červená[1]
Slovenian
  • divji bezeg[1]
Spanish
  • saúco rojo[1]
Swedish
  • druvfläder[1]
Ukrainian
  • Бузина червона[1]
Upriver Halkomelem
  • tth’iwuq’[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Sambucus racemosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • red-berried elder — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Roter Holunder — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Hirsch-Holunder — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • red elderberry — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Бузина обыкновенная — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Бузина красная — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Bez koralowy — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • terttuselja — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • druvfläder — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • sureau de montagne — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • sureau rameux — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • sureau rouge — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • sureau à grappes — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • saúco rojo — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • bez červený — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • 歐洲接骨木 — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • rødhyll — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Drue-hyld — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • raudhyll — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Trosvlier — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Бузина червона — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Sambuco rosso — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • セイヨウアカミニワトコ — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Raudonuogis šeivamedis — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • punane leeder — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Traubenholunder — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Berg-Holunder — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Papaskatcîksi'gana'tîg — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • 덧나무 — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Կտտկենի սովորական — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Saüc racemós — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • 欧洲接骨木 — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • 紅果接骨木 — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Бузіна чырвоная — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Red Elder — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • American red elderberry — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • divji bezeg — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • fürtös bodza — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Sarkanais plūškoks — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • Sabugueiro-vermelho — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • baza červená — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • hubuhwiyha — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • t̕ᶿíwəq̓əɬp — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • tth’iwuq’ — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • sćabt — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.
  • sćapt — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 57824; Sambucus racemosa.

General information

Scientific name: Sambucus racemosa
Accepted name (Kew): Sambucus racemosa L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Viburnaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Sambucus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Red elder
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree, Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 4.00 m
Spread: 4.00 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: Deciduous

Leaf retention described in the New England flora.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Flowers
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Repellent, Wood, Fragrant

Description

Fruit - eaten raw or cooked, has a bitter taste. The fruit is very nutritious and contains a lot of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It can be dried for use, but it loses some of its original flavor. The fruit is about 5 mm in diameter and grows in large clusters, making it easy to harvest. Be mindful of the toxicity, as explained above. Flowers can be eaten raw or cooked, and the root can be used to make a tea-like drink.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/08
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 601461; name ID 2486599; Sambucus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 219800; name ID 2486552; Sambucus racemosa L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Sambucus racemosa

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2437187, ID 6XHX7: Sambucus racemosa L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. Native Plant Trust; Go Botany Sambucus racemosa — Go Botany
    Supports: Foliage
    Relevant sections
    • Foliage: Leaf duration

    Source checked on .