Wild fruit and nuts

Elder

Sambucus nigra · Updated: 15 Nov 2026

A shrub with pinnate leaves, flat, white, scented flower heads and drooping black berries on reddish stalks. The flowers make cordial or are fried in batter; the ripe berries are used only cooked, for juice, jelly or soup.

Season: May · Jun · Aug · Sep
Habitat: Hedges, forest edges, clearings, verges, waste ground

Plan a berry tour for Elder

Elder (Sambucus nigra) — 📷 Wikimedia Commons · Willow · CC BY 2.5

Look-alikes

Dwarf elder – Poisonous. Not a shrub but a herbaceous perennial that smells unpleasant, often grows in dense stands and flowers only from June to August; its berry clusters stand upright. Elder is woody and bears drooping berry clusters.
Red-berried elder – Slightly poisonous. A shrub with very similar leaves, but with greenish-yellow flowers in cone-shaped panicles and coral-red berries in upright clusters that ripen as early as July and August. The toxin in the seeds survives cooking.

Frequently asked questions about Elder

When is Elder in season?

You can find Elder in these months: May · Jun · Aug · Sep.

Where does Elder grow?

Elder prefers: Hedges, forest edges, clearings, verges, waste ground.

Can you eat Elder?

What can Elder be confused with?

Dwarf elder: Poisonous. Not a shrub but a herbaceous perennial that smells unpleasant, often grows in dense stands and flowers only from June to August; its berry clusters stand upright. Elder is woody and bears drooping berry clusters. Red-berried elder: Slightly poisonous. A shrub with very similar leaves, but with greenish-yellow flowers in cone-shaped panicles and coral-red berries in upright clusters that ripen as early as July and August. The toxin in the seeds survives cooking.

Plants are hints, not guarantees. Mushrooms only grow where weather, soil and trees fit together.

Plan a hike to find it →

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Elder

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