Bloomipedia
Red-berried elder (Sambucus racemosa)
Photo: Bruce Cook via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Red-berried elder

Sambucus racemosa

Red-berried elder (Sambucus racemosa) is a shrub or small tree in the Viburnaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Red-berried elder is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 9 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

38states where USDA records it
9Bloomipedia state lists include it
40,198U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin

Quick look

Sambucus racemosa is a species of elder known by the common names red-berried elder and red elderberry. It produces a red drupe.

  • 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 38 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Washington, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 6,487 research-grade sightings of it in Washington, ranking #16 among the 187 flowers on our Washington list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,094 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #35 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,859 research-grade sightings of it in Minnesota, ranking #14 among the 152 flowers on our Minnesota list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,646 records)
Bloom time in the 9 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
WashingtonNativeApril–May6,487
OregonNativeApril–May4,094
MinnesotaNativeApril–May3,859
AlaskaNativefew records (44)2,762
VermontNativeMay2,106
WisconsinNativeApril–May1,977
MichiganNativeApril–May1,830
MaineNativeMay1,060
UtahNativefew records (43)632

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 6 of our 9 states.
See each state
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Vermont
Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S5, secure in Vermont. Vermont E&T list
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Michigan
Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Michigan. R 299.1028
Maine
Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. Maine rare plant list
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Washington.
Alaska
No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
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.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: GA (S1), IL (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 peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

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 red-berried elder in 38 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Washington counties with USDA records: Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Ferry, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima.

Oregon counties with USDA records: Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, Washington, Yamhill.

Minnesota counties with USDA records: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Blue Earth, Carlton, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clearwater, Cook, Dakota, Douglas, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Itasca, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Martin, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Rice, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Winona, Wright.

Names, range and relatives

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

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 711 counties across 36 states; the most are in Michigan (72), Pennsylvania (58), Wisconsin (55).

Other Sambucus on Bloomipedia (2): American black elderberry, Blue 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 Washington flowers

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Japanese snowball viburnum

Viburnum plicatum

🌷 Flowering shrub

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Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii)

Koreanspice viburnum

Viburnum carlesii

🌷 Flowering shrub

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Sources