ABSTRACT
The American elder and blue elder are deciduous shrubs growing naturally in North America. The American elder is native to eastern and central North America, east of the Rocky Mountains, ranging from Nova Scotia south to Florida and west to Manitoba and Texas. The European elder grows widely throughout Europe, as well as in North Africa and western Asia. Blue elder generally has larger and less acid fruit than American elder. The juice and preserves of elderberries have often been mainstays of rural American pantries, and early settlers used them as a dried and medicinal crop. Elderberries are used for jams, jellies, juice, sauces, chutney, and homemade wine. Several species of elder have the reputation of being poisonous, but the toxic potential is largely limited to the leaves, bark, roots, and seeds. Domestic and export demand will likely grow for all native berry crops in response to expanding clinical evidence of health benefits of a berry-rich diet.
