Download Article 136 Updated List Sambucus nigra

Weeds in our Area (Part One Hundred and Thirty Six)
By Bob and Ena McIntyre – Garden Route Region.
UPDATED WEED LIST - SAMBUCUS NIGRA (Elder)
Weed control remains a contentious topic, however when it receives the attention of major
partners such as SANParks one is greatly encouraged. Locally the Wilderness National Park
authorities are boldly addressing the problem. The extensive eradication work on the Madeira
Vine (Anredera cordifolia) infestations along Waterside Road and the Boardwalk sets the tone for
residents to follow suit – and already we’ve noticed that a number of Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus
altissima) specimens have been removed from private properties – also along Waterside Road.
Well done indeed. This brings us to today’s topic, which again shows how insidiously these things
happen.
No less than four popular South African gardening handbooks dating respectively from the early
1950’s to the mid 1980’s extol the virtues of Sambucus nigra as a gardening subject suitable for
most gardens except in the very arid and hot regions of our country but particularly suited to the
cooler moister climes of high mist-belt or moist coastal regions. Sambucus nigra is a species of
Elder native to most of Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. The gardening books of the
times mostly refer to it as the Elder, European Elder or Golden Elder in the case of S.nigra var.
Aurea, characterised by its gold coloured foliage. This colour played an important role in its
popularity as a foliage shrub, particularly where contrast was important in the garden setting. Ease
of adaptation, propagation and resistance to pests no doubt lies at the root of the Elder’s
popularity with gardeners as well as its ultimate listing as a weed.
Identification: Sambucus nigra is a small to medium sized (4 – 6m) deciduous shrub or tree
shedding its foliage in autumn. The medium green leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, 10-30cm
long and pinnate in shape. Every leaf is made up of five to seven (occasionally 9) leaflets with
sharply serrated margins. Individual leaflets are from 5-12cm long and
3-5cm wide. The sweet-scented ivory or white flowers appear in
summer and are born in large corymbs (longer stems on the outside
giving a flat topped look) of 10-25cm across. The individual flowers
are tiny, measuring only 5-6-mm in diameter. The flowers are “perfect
flowers” having both male and female reproductive organs.
Pollination is done by flies. The fruit, popular with fruit-eating birds, is
a small purple-black berry
produced in drooping clusters in
late autumn (see illustration).
Please note that except for the
flowers all parts of the plant are
poisonous.
Sambucus nigra is probably better known in its countries of
origin for its multitude of practical uses than being a garden
subject. Amongst its medicinal uses are infusions made from
the flowers. Stem-bark, leaves, root extracts, etc are used for the treatment of sinus and upper
respiratory tract problems and is shown as an ingredient of some herbal remedies.
Invasive status: Sambucus nigra is a new entry on the list. Interestingly its cousin S. canadensis
appears on the original X-list as a proposed category 3. Both species are proposed as Category 1b
– controlled as part of an invasive species control programme.
References: “ALIEN WEEDS AND INVASIVE PLANTS”: Lesley Henderson. Copyright© 2001
Agricultural Research Council. Flowering Shrubs and Trees for South African Gardens – Sima
Eliovson. Ornamental Trees and Shrubs – Una v.d. Spuy, A-Z of Gardening in SA – W.G. Sheat,
www.wikipedia.org