A bushy, multi-stemmed, wide spreading shrub. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, pinnate with five to nine leaflets, the leaflets around 10 cm long and 5 cm broad. In summer, it bears large (20-30 cm diameter) corymbs of white flowers above the foliage, the individual flowers 5-6 mm diameter, with five petals. The fruit is a dark purple to black berry 3-5 mm diameter, produced in drooping clusters in the fall.

Diuretic, emetic and a strong laxative (inner bark, root bark); stimulant, diaphoretic and diuretic (elder flower); antiseptic (leaves).

Floridata
Sambucus canadensis L.
Plants for a Future

Alanine, arginine, ascorbic acid, aspartic acid, beta-carotene, cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, methionine, niacin, pantothenic acid, phenyl-alanine, riboflavin, thiamin, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine (fruit); alpha-amyrin palmitate, beta-amyrin palmitate, beta-sitosterol, campesterol, lysine, stigmasterol (plant); linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, tannin (seed); rutin (flower, leaf).

To promote labour in childbirth and in treating headaches, kidney problems and mucous congestion (root bark); as a poultice to cuts, sore or swollen limbs etc in order to relieve pain and swelling (inner bark); to bruises, to cuts in order to stop the bleeding, for skin problems, wounds etc (leaves); for cholera and diarrhoea (dried fruit).