White elderberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White elderberry |
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| On Mount Donna Buang, Victoria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sambucus
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| Species: |
gaudichaudiana
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The white elderberry (scientific name: Sambucus gaudichaudiana) is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Adoxaceae family. This plant is found only in eastern Australia. It is a perennial shrub, which means its roots live for many years, but its stems grow new each year. It has leaves with many small leaflets, tiny white flowers, and small fruits that you can eat. You can usually find it growing in cool forests and shady places.
What it Looks Like
The white elderberry is a shrub that typically grows about 1 to 2 meters (about 3 to 6.5 feet) tall. It grows from roots that last a long time, but its grooved stems are new each year. Its leaves are made up of smaller leaflets, usually 3 to 11 of them. These leaves are mostly 10 to 35 centimeters (about 4 to 14 inches) long. The leaflets are narrow and shaped like a spear or an egg. They are usually 3 to 5 centimeters (about 1 to 2 inches) long and 1 to 6 centimeters (about 0.4 to 2.4 inches) wide. Their edges can be jagged or have lobes.
The flowers grow in groups that look like flat-topped clusters. These clusters are 8 to 20 millimeters (about 0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide. Each flower has three or four smooth, egg-shaped sepals that are about 1 millimeter long. The petals are white and 2 to 5 millimeters long. White elderberry plants mostly flower from October to February. After flowering, they produce a white, oval or round fruit. This fruit is a drupe, which means it has a hard pit inside, like a cherry. It is about 5 millimeters long and is safe to eat.
Plant Name and History
The white elderberry was first officially described in 1830. A scientist named de Candolle wrote about it in his book called Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis. This was how the plant got its scientific name, Sambucus gaudichaudiana.
Where it Grows
White elderberry mostly grows in forests. It likes places that are moist or shady. You can find it in south-eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales (as far west as Warren), the Australian Capital Territory, the southern half of Victoria, Tasmania, and the very south-eastern part of South Australia.
Eating the Berries
The berries of the white elderberry plant are edible. They are juicy, a little bit sour, and taste pleasant. You can eat them raw or cook them.
See also
In Spanish: Sambucus gaudichaudiana para niños
