Hidden within the genus elder are some poisonous species that are easily confused with the edible black elder. You can find out here which these are and with which other plants there is a risk of confusion.

Identify black elder reliably

Delicious juices, liqueurs and jellies can be conjured up from the blossoms, leaves and berries of the black elder. Although it is one of the most common shrubs in the wild, some poisonous conspecifics sometimes cheat in between. Use the following characteristics to determine the edible elderberry:

  • thrives as a shrub or small tree along the way, in forest clearings and in hedges
  • Height of growth 3 to 5 meters with curved branches
  • elliptical leaves with a serrated edge
  • 2 pairs each opposite and 1 leaf at the top (opposite, imparipinnate)
  • creamy white flowers from May to July
  • purple-black berries in August and September, initially reddish in colour

Differences determine the poisonous dwarf elder

The berries of the poisonous dwarf elder look confusingly similar to the fruits of the black elder. You can distinguish between the two types using the following criteria in particular:

  • toxic parakeet gives off a very unpleasant smell
  • its leaflets are elongated to lanceolate in shape and up to 15 centimeters long
  • the poisonous dark berries point upwards, while the edible fruits of the black elder droop
  • Dwarf elderberry berries have a small dent

In addition, a parakeet with a maximum growth height of 150 centimeters remains significantly smaller than a fully grown black elder.

Be careful when collecting the flowers

Since the flowers of the black elder are often used in natural medicine, they are also often collected. Caution is advised, because at first glance the white elderflowers and the equally white flowers of the spotted hemlock resemble each other. In this case, a smell test provides reliable information about which plant you are actually dealing with. The spotted hemlock betrays itself by a foul stench.

tips and tricks

When cooked, the berries of the red elder are also a delicious ingredient for jams, juices and liqueurs. However, the toxic stone cores must be removed, since their contents do not dissolve during cooking. In view of the clear color difference, there is no danger of confusing grape elder with poisonous types of elder.

Category:

Vegetable garden