Bloomipedia
Blue elder (Sambucus cerulea)
Photo: Daughter Dad via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Blue elder

Sambucus cerulea

Blue elder (Sambucus cerulea) is a shrub or small tree in the Viburnaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Blue elder is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–July.

12states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
30,147U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: California, Idaho, Utah

Quick look

Sambucus cerulea or Sambucus nigra subsp. cerulea, with the common names blue elderberry and blue elder, is a coarse textured shrub species of elder in the family Viburnaceae.

  • It belongs to the Viburnaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 12 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to California, Utah and Idaho. NatureServe
  • In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
  • In Utah, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 23 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 25,253 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #16 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 819 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #73 among the 153 flowers on our Utah list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 504 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #66 among the 143 flowers on our Idaho list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (4,729 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
CaliforniaNativeApril–June25,253
UtahNativeJune–August819
IdahoNativefew records (34)504

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
T5 See NatureServe for what T5 means. NatureServe
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Utah.
Idaho
No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: TX (S1), WY (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleToxic (moderate, per USDA)

USDA PLANTS rates its toxicity as “moderate.” (USDA's rating covers people and livestock and doesn't say which parts.) NC State Extension has no page for it. USDA PLANTS

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records blue elder in 12 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

California counties with USDA records: Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Inyo, Lake, Marin, Mariposa, Mono, Monterey, Nevada, Placer, San Bernardino, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Ventura.

Utah counties with USDA records: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Adams, Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Butte, Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Clearwater, Elmore, Franklin, Gem, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Power, Shoshone, Valley, Washington.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Blue elder a medium shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.9 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance
Medium
Drought tolerance
High
Moisture use
Low
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
4.9 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated
-38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
80
Annual precipitation range
10 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth
12 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Low
Growth rate
Rapid
Lifespan
Moderate
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Black · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for SANIC5. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus velutina.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 191 counties across 12 states; the most are in Washington (36), Oregon (33), Utah (29).

Other Sambucus on Bloomipedia (2): American black elderberry, Red-berried elder.

More from the Viburnaceae family (14 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Mapleleaf viburnum, Hobblebush, Guelder-rose, Blackhaw, Japanese snowball viburnum, Nannyberry, Northern wild raisin, Arrowwood viburnum.

More California flowers

Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus)

Laurustinus

Viburnum tinus

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in California gardens
Japanese snowball viburnum (Viburnum plicatum)

Japanese snowball viburnum

Viburnum plicatum

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in California gardens
Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii)

Koreanspice viburnum

Viburnum carlesii

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in California gardens

Sources