Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa
Black elderberry, Black Elderberry
(c) Eric Lamb, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Eric Lamb · licence
Family: Viburnaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa (Black elderberry) is a native California shrub / tree in the Viburnaceae family, recognized by elevation, dome-shaped inflorescence, and purple-black non-glaucous fruit.
Black elderberry is a native shrub found in the northern California Cascades and Sierra Nevada Mountains in streamsides, meadow edges, and conifer forests at elevations of 1,800 to 3,600 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white flowers in clustered inflorescences approximately 4 to 7 centimeters wide. Growing with multiple stems reaching up to 3 meters tall, it forms dense, multi-branched thickets in moist mountain habitats. Its compound leaves are composed of 5 to 7 leaflets with smooth or slightly hairy undersides, typically dark green and serrated along the edges. The fruit develops as distinctive purple-black berries, which are an important food source for wildlife in high-elevation mountain ecosystems.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by elevation, dome-shaped inflorescence, and purple-black non-glaucous fruit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streamsides, edges of meadows or conifer forest
Elevation: 1800-3600 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Modoc, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, Mono
Outside California: to western Canada, Utah, New Mexico
Bloom period
Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Fraxinus: Flowers in showy flat-topped clusters vs. ash's inconspicuous wind-pollinated flowers appearing before leaves.; vs Aralia: Leaflets arranged simply along one stalk vs. Aralia's twice-compound leaves with leaflets branching off branches.; vs Ligustrum: Compound leaves with multiple leaflets vs. privet's simple, undivided leaves.; vs Heteromeles: Leaflets toothed all around vs. toyon's simple leaves with teeth only on outer half.; vs Rosa: Leaflets without stipules at base vs. rose's paired stipules flanking each leaf stem.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa native to California?
Yes. Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa bloom?
Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa grow?
Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa occurs in Tuolumne, Modoc, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Siskiyou, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of 1800-3600 m.
What plant family does Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa belong to?
Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa is in the Viburnaceae family, genus Sambucus.
What habitat does Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa grow in?
Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa grows in Streamsides, edges of meadows or conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.