[Elderberries: The Genus Sambucus West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry

Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea

Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea

Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana (Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus caerulea var. velutina, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea var. velutina, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. cerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea, Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea)

Blue elderberry as seen along the Springwater Trail between Palmblad and Rugg Roads to the east of Gresham, Oregon........July 8, 2011. Both red and black elderberries are also found along the Springwater Trail near this location, but both bloom several months earlier.

Upper stem leaves and inflorescence of Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea (Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) - Upper stem leaves and inflorescence of Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea (Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) - Upper stem leaves and inflorescence of Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea (Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea)

Close-ups of the inflorescence and pinnately compound stem leaves of blue elderberry as seen along the Springwater Trail between Palmblad and Rugg Roads to the east of Gresham, Oregon......July 8, 2011. The leaves are opposite one another along the stems.

Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea (Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) - Blue Elder, Blue Elderberry, Southwestern Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea (Synonyms: Sambucus caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. caerulea, Sambucus caerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. cerulea, Sambucus cerulea var. neomexicana, Sambucus glauca, Sambucus mexicana, Sambucus mexicana ssp. caerulea, Sambucus mexicana var. caerulea, Sambucus neomexicana, Sambucus neomexicana var. vestita, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea)

Berries of the blue elderberry
Paul Slichter