Red-berried Elder (Sambucus racemose)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186318096
Today, I bring you the Red-berried Elder (Sambucus racemose). The name for them in Tlingit is yéil', according to the Alaska Guide (Adventures). I went for my usual walk, and the weather was becoming more nippy. The leaves of many deciduous trees hang on a thread, waiting for the first October wind to blow in, prune the trees, and begin getting ready for winter. To talk about Red Elders, we need to talk about Black Elders (Sambucus nigra). Black Elderberries are more edible, and I have made some of the best wine I have ever made with the Black Elderberries. It tasted like a Merlot and was so good that people came to my house asking for more.
Some physical facts about the Red-berried Elder: it is found in four of the five biomes in Alaska, along with all but a few southern states in the lower 48. These Elders are found in woodlands, forest edges, ridges or ledges, talus and rock slopes. They love the wetlands (Native Plant Trust).
Although I call it a tree, it is considered a shrub (Native Plant Trust). They have compound leaves made up of leaflets, and the edge of the leaf has teeth. These leaves then drop for the winter. The seeds can sit for years before germinating. They often can be found on "nursery logs" and will sprout after a fire. The berries feed birds and mammals, and the wood is food for porcupines and snowshoe hares (Native Plant Trust). I have used its umbrella bloom in the spring with loads of tiny white flowers that smell heavenly and can be used to make nectar to drink in the summer. But the caution is to remove all the green stems.
On the other hand, our Red Elder has a terrible taste and will upset the stomach if eaten raw because it contains a chemical called cyanogenic glycoside. They must be cooked thoroughly, and although some Pacific Northwest Natives have been known to use this berry, they have a long process to make the berry more palatable and less toxic. Other methods include "combining it with other fruits to improve their flavor, while others submerged cooked red elderberries in running streams for weeks to make them taste better and reduce their toxicity" (Shmurak). Recently, the red elderberry was "in an [scientific] experiment, looking at [the] plant extracts' ability to inhibit HIV, red elderberry was among the most potent" a real possible breakthrough (Shmurak). This bush is a sign of spring with its large umbrella cluster of white flowers and a symbol of summer with its bright red berries.
Adventures, Wilderness. "Red Elderberry of Alaska." Alaska Guide, © Alaska Guide Co., Jan. 2023, alaska.guide/Plant/Sambucus-racemosa/Red-Elderberry. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
“Sambucus Racemosa - Red Elderberry.” Native Plant Trust: Go Botany, National Science Foundation, Jan. 2023, gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/sambucus/racemosa/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
Shmurak, Susannah. "What to Know about Red Elderberry (Sambucus Racemosa)." Is Red Elderberry (Red Berry Elder, Sambucus Racemosa) Safe to Eat?, HealthyGreenSavvy, 16 May 2023, www.healthygreensavvy.com/red-elderberry-sambucus-racemosa/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
Comentarios
Hi Gayleen! Wow! I am so surprised you were able to make wine out of black elderberries that are native to Southeast AK. I have never thought about it, although I'm sure there are other berries that can used to make wine. As for the red elderberries, I love to learn about which plants feed our creatures and the ecosystem around us. I was just reading that porcupines eat the branches! Again, wow! A potential resource for fighting HIV? That is incredible. I would like to keep up on that research. I probably won't let my curiosity win, but I am now curious what the berries taste like. Thank you!
That's amazing. I never knew Red Elderberries could be so versatile in what they can be made into. I find it fascinating that it also can grow in the many different biomes in Alaska; I would have expected Red Elderberries to grow in a forest environment with a lot more rain. I also liked how you mentioned it being in other states; I thought that Elderberries only grew in Alaska, so it was nice to learn that it's more far-reaching than expected. I would have expected Red Elderberries to be more tasty than Black Elderberries because blackberries are usually bitter in taste, so I thought it would be the same for Elderberries. I wasn't surprised to hear that you made alcohol out of Black Elderberries because I knew that vodka is made with potatoes traditionally. So I was shocked, but not that much; it's crazy how many things can be turned into Alcohol. Thanks for having such an interesting post, and have a wonderful rest of your week.
Hi, Gayleen! I love the diversity of the plant you observed this week and it is very cool you made wine with the similar Black Elderberries. I particularly enjoyed viewing the photos and reading about its biomes and germination period/process. Those small notches on the bark of the shrub are an interesting visual characteristic of the Red-berried Elder, or Sambucus racemose, that I have not noticed before. I know you said they were mildly toxic but I wonder if these tribes that you mention that found ways of making the bitter fruit more palatable also had any noted medicinal properties/uses of different parts of the plant such as its leaves, roots, bark, etc.
I'm bowled over by the varying stages of leaf drop I've seen on the red-berried elder in my area. Are you encountering that too? The edlers on my land have almost completely shed their leaves, but driving in to town the other day, the same plants there are still in full "bloom"! Such a pretty and diverse shrub!
Your mention of Black Elderberries and the wine you've made from them adds an interesting layer to the discussion. Black Elderberries are indeed known for their culinary uses, and they have a rich history of being used for making wine, jams, and other delicious treats. Your experience of making wine with Black Elderberries that resembled Merlot is a testament to the versatility of this plant and the creative ways in which people can use it to craft delightful beverages.
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