Exploring Sambucus Williamsii: Growth, Care, and More

The Sambucus Williamsii is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 4 meters high. Its stem is unridged and multi-branched with a grayish-brown color and hairless texture.

The leaves are oppositely arranged, with singular pinnate compound leaves. The leaflets are ovate, elliptical, or ovate-lanceolate, with gradually pointed tips, an asymmetrically broad wedge shape at the base, and coarser serrated edges. The leaves are hairless on both sides.

The inflorescence is a terminal corymb, which densely forms an ovate to oblong-ovate shape. The calyx is bell-shaped with five segments and the segments are tongue-shaped.

The corolla is radially symmetrical, with 4-5 segments that are inverted ovate and pale yellow. There are five stamens attached to the corolla, shorter than the corolla, and one pistil with an inferior ovary and short stylus.

The berries are bright red, and the plant flowers and fruits from April to May and July to September respectively. The Sambucus Williamsii can be found on mountain slopes, in shrubs, along ditches, roadsides, and houses at altitudes of 540-1600 meters.

It is used to treat rheumatic bone pain, back pain, edema, rubella, eczema, postpartum blood fainting, bruises, fractures, and traumatic bleeding.

I. Morphological Features

The elderberry is a deciduous shrub or small tree, standing 5-6 meters tall. Its mature branches are of a light reddish-brown color, featuring prominent elongated lenticels, with a light brown pith inside.

The pinnate compound leaves have 2-3 pairs of leaflets, sometimes only one pair or up to five pairs. The lateral leaflets are ovate, narrow elliptical to inversely rectangular lanceolate, 5-15 cm long, 1.2-7 cm wide, with an apex that is acute, acuminate, or caudate.

The edges have irregular serrations, sometimes with one or several glandular serrations at the base or below the middle. The base is wedge-shaped or round, sometimes heart-shaped, and asymmetrical.

The terminal leaflet is ovate or inverted ovate, with an apex that is gradually pointed or caudate, and a base that is wedge-shaped, with a petiole about 2 cm long.

Initially, the upper surface of the leaflet and the midrib are covered with sparse short soft hairs, but later become smooth and hairless. The leaves emit a foul smell when rubbed; the stipules are narrow band-shaped, or degenerate into blue protrusions.

The flowers and leaves emerge together; the inflorescence is terminal, corymbose, 5-11 cm long, 4-14 cm wide, with a peduncle.

The inflorescence branches are mostly straight and spread at right angles, sometimes covered with sparse short soft hairs, but soon become smooth and hairless. The flowers are small and dense.

The calyx tube is cup-shaped, about 1 mm long, and the calyx teeth are triangular lanceolate, slightly shorter than the calyx tube. The corolla is pink when in bud, but turns white or pale yellow when it opens.

The corolla tube is short, and the lobes are rectangular or long ovate, about 2 mm long. The stamens are as long as the corolla lobes and spread out, with slightly enlarged filaments at the base and yellow anthers. The ovary has three chambers, and the style is short, with a three-lobed stigma.

The fruit is red, very rarely blue-purple black, ovate or nearly round, with a diameter of 3-5 mm. The fruit has 2-3 pyrenes, which are ovate to elliptical, 2.5-3.5 mm long, and slightly wrinkled.

The flowering period is generally from April to May, and the fruit ripening period is from September to October.

II. Growing Environment

This plant is highly adaptable and not strict with climatic conditions. It prefers sun exposure, but can also tolerate shade. It thrives best in fertile, loose soil. While it enjoys light, it can also withstand shade, cold, and drought.

It has a well-developed root system and strong tillering ability. It is often found under forests, in shrubbery, or along plains. It dislikes waterlogging and has a strong resistance to pollution.

III. Distribution Range

The elderberry tree has a wide distribution worldwide. In China, there is the native Chinese elderberry, while in Europe, there is the European elderberry. There is even a specially cultivated golden elderberry for horticultural appreciation.

It grows under forests, in shrubbery, or along plains. It thrives in pine and birch forests at altitudes of 1000-1400m, on hillside crevices, at the edge of forests, and other places.

It can also be found on mountain slopes, in shrubbery, along ditches, roads, and houses at altitudes of 540-1600m.

IV. Growth and Propagation

It can be propagated by sowing, cutting, and dividing.

For cutting, between April and May each year, cut a year-old branch that is 10-15cm long and plant it in a sand bed. Roots will grow 30-40 days after planting.

For division, after the leaves fall in autumn, dig the mother branch and plant the tillering branches separately. Cultivation is easy and transplantation can be performed in spring or fall.

Using a seedling transplantation method, before germination in February, select healthy branches without pests and diseases, cut into 20-25cm cuttings, each with 3 small upper buds. The top and bottom buds should be 1-1.5cm away from the cut.

Then, in prepared ground, dig 3m wide beds, with rows spaced 26cm apart, 16-20cm deep. Place 15-20 cuttings in each trench, with the top bud exposed above the ground, then cover half the trench with soil and press down.

Transplant in the winter after the leaves fall or before the buds sprout in the spring of the next year. Dig holes at a distance of 1.3-1.8m between each row and plant, 21-25cm deep, transplant one seedling per hole, fill with soil and press down.

V. Main Value

The elderberry tree primarily has medical applications.

Stem (elderberry): Sweet and bitter, neutral. It dispels wind, benefits dampness, invigorates blood, and relieves pain. It is used for rheumatic bone pain, back pain, edema, rashes, postpartum fainting, sprains, fractures, and traumatic bleeding.

Root or root bark (elderberry root): Sweet, neutral. Used for rheumatic joint pain, phlegm, edema, diarrhea, jaundice, sprains and burns.

Leaves (elderberry leaves): Bitter, cold. Invigorates blood, promotes stasis, and relieves pain. Used for sprains, fractures, rheumatic pain, and muscle and bone pain.

Flowers (elderberry flowers): Used for sweating and diuresis.

VI. Plant Culture

Flower Language

Flower divination: You are a person who is enthusiastic about helping others. When you notice that friends around you need help and comfort, you will step forward without expecting anything in return.

Therefore, you are a popular person among friends. However, you also have a stubborn character that refuses to compromise, and you tend to be jealous, so your emotions are not very stable.

Flower motto: The spirit of giving without expecting anything in return cannot be applied to love.