Elder - Sambucus nigra

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Alternative names
Common Elder
Description

Shrub or tree to 10 metres, with grey-brown corky bark and white pith. Branches arching, rather brittle. Flowers creamy white, with yellowish white anthers in flat topped cluster 14 to 24 mm across, scented. Berry turning red and eventually black when ripe.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Various. Woods, hedgerows, old walls and around farms.

When to see it

June and July.

Life History

Deciduous.

UK Status

Very common throughout Britain

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 602 of the 617 tetrads.

  • David Gould
    Aylestone Meadows, Leicester.
    18 July 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Wigston Parva
    22 January 2016
    buds
  • stepgray4
    Wymeswold Woodland
    26 February 2021
    Emerging leaves
  • Lostash
    Whetstone GCR Footpath
    21 August 2015
  • Saharima Roenisch
    Spinney Hill Park
    20 August 2017
  • stepgray4
    Launde Big Wood
    19 April 2021
  • egaten
    Shenton
    21 June 2021
  • AJ Cann
    Croft Glebe
    13 January 2018
    Lenticels on bark
  • stepgray4
    Ulverscroft NR
    29 November 2020
    Corky growth

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Elderberry, Elder
Species group:
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Dipsacales
Family:
Adoxaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
656
First record:
01/01/1979 (Patricia Evans)
Last record:
17/04/2024 (Smith, Peter)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • stepgray4
    Wymeswold Meadows
    25 March 2021
  • Craig Mabbett
    Leire Footpath From Broughton Astley To Leire
    14 August 2021
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    24 May 2014
  • stepgray4
    Wymeswold Woodland
    26 February 2021
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common and Woods
    23 June 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Higham on the Hill
    11 June 2015
  • Lostash
    Whetstone GCR Footpath
    30 June 2013
  • Alan Semper
    Harby footpath
    17 June 2013
  • Lostash
    Whetstone GCR Footpath
    24 May 2015
  • Barbara Cooper
    Walton on the Wolds
    11 June 2015
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Melton Country Park
    20 July 2015
  • Andy's Rutland
    Headland/Footpath-Love's Lane to Gunnel Lane Meadow-Empingham
    17 July 2018
  • Alan Semper
    Harby, Green La
    31 August 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ashby Canal, Shackerstone
    15 September 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    04 November 2007
    autumn colours
  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    05 June 2011
  • Alan Semper
    Harby garden
    04 June 2012
  • CC
    Bath Street
    07 September 2021
  • Paul Ruddoch
    Melton Country Park
    20 July 2015
  • CC
    Bath Street
    07 September 2021
  • Dylan
    Melton Mowbray
    17 August 2021
    Elder
Photo of the association

Liriomyza amoena

The larvae of the fly Liriomyza amoena mine the leaves of Elder, creating a large blotch mine with conspicuous frass.