Sambucus williamsii aka William's Elder

Sambucus williamsii has two common names: Williams elderberry and North China red elder. It belongs to Viburnaceae, the viburnum family. It grows wild in southern Siberia, China, South Korea, and Japan. This woody plant forms a large shrub or small tree. It sheds its leaves each year. It reaches 18 feet [5.5 metres], with an upright or rounded form.

Older branches turn reddish brown. They bear clear, narrow lenticels: marks with an oval shape. The stems hold brown pith. The dark green leaves are pinnate. This means leaflets grow along a central stalk. Some leaflets are egg-shaped; others are narrow and oval. Some widen toward the tip. Their edges have uneven teeth. Some teeth near the base have glands. The lowest leaflet pair may have small growths at its base. These growths have a blue tint. The leaves lack hairs, and the plant has an unpleasant smell.

Dense groups of flowers grow at the branch tips. Buds have a pink tint before they open. Open flowers are white, cream, or pale yellow. North Carolina State gives spring and early summer as bloom times. Chicago Botanic Garden lists May through August for bloom. Flowers emerge with the leaves and draw insects that pollinate them. Small, egg-shaped berries follow in late summer and early fall. They can be red, blue-black, or purple-black. Both flowers and fruit add garden interest. The plant draws songbirds too.

Moist soil suits this elder best. It grows in sand, loam, or clay. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils too. North Carolina State favors part shade to deep shade. Chicago Botanic Garden lists full sun as suitable too. Both sources place it in USDA zones 3–8. It copes with wind, poor soil, and air pollution. Coastal salt air does not suit it. Its size and form suit hedges, screens, barriers, and windbreaks. It fits shade gardens, gardens for pollinators, and borders too. Growers can raise new plants from stem cuttings. North Carolina State reports no known insect pests or diseases.

The plant has a record of use in Chinese medicine. People have mixed its stems with other herbs. They used this mix for pain and swelling linked to fractures. Plants For A Future records uses as medicine and to kill insects. It lists cooked young leaves as food, but warns against eating them. Its safety warning draws on related elders. It does not cite confirmed cases of poisoning for this species. The supplied evidence does not show that its berries are safe to eat.