Red Elderberry: Flowers are white in cone-shaped clusters. Flowers bloom early in spring. Fruit are bright red berries in cone-shaped clusters. Leaves have 5 to 7 leaflets. Leaves are opposite on stem. Leaflets have unequally shaped bases. Edges or leaflets are serrate (toothed). The berries are ripe in late spring. Stems numerous from base of plant. Stems are hollow.
2B. Blue Elderbery: Flowers in plate-shaped clusters, blooming in late spring. Fruit are bluish berries with a waxy gray surface in plate-shaped clusters.Leaves have 5 to 7 leaflets. Leaves are opposite on stem. Leaflets have unequally shaped bases. Edges or leaflets are serrate (toothed). The berries are ripe in late summer Stems numerous from base of plant. Stems are hollow.