Sambucus, European Red Elder, Gold Elderberry, Red Elderberry 'Sutherland Gold'

I have one in a partial shady area under tall trees, it is so pretty and delicate. The color is striking. Mine has never gotten berries.<...Read Morebr /> As for being poisonous-I have three toddler grandchildren who visit and I have educated them on plants and not to eat anything from them and I don't let them eat anything at all even if it is edible. Unless it is in the refrigerator, they don't eat it. And there are hundreds of plants that are poisonous as well. Kids should always being supervised. So yes the tree may be dangerous-so are swimming pools-kids shouldn't be left alone. .
Tired of seeing people give negative reviews because a plant is poisonous. Who goes around eating plants anyway?

I have my Sutherland Gold elderberry in a morning sun , afternoon filtered, spot, just outside of my path to a woodland garden. It has h...Read Moread two winters with me and has grown quickly to about 4 feet tall and wide . I will prune it after blooming this year, and it is full of buds on each branch. I am not worried about the poisonous issue as there are no children here, although I do have a number of cats and two dogs. There are many poisonous plants around, .. I have not had any problems
I find this elderberry to be an asset to my garden, beautiful in its spring color and never seems to need special care. I bought this and black lace, but this is my favorite.

I'm not sure why fhj52 is so down on this plant, when SOOO MANY, (if not MOST) ornamental plants are toxic if eaten. Even the foliage of...Read More potatos & tomatoes are toxic! I hardly think that is a good reason to ban them from the garden. Besides which, I have eaten numerous berries from the native species, P. nigra subsp. canadensis, which grows wild on my property. The berries are most assuredly NOT poisonous! (Just don't eat any other part.)
Anyway, I planted a specimen of S. racemosa 'Southerland Gold" about six years ago, in a dry, shady area. It never particularly thrived, but the foliage was very attractive. I have since moved, and decided to try again- this time in a moister, sunnier area. Although it has not bloomed for me yet, this is a lovely foliage plant, easy to grow, (with sufficient moisture,) but not nearly as aggresive as P. nigra, (which rockets to 12 feet in a year's time!)

All parts of the Sambucus * (elderberry) plant are poisonous except some specific cultivars' berries and the flowers produced for those....Read More Red berried Sambucus are just flat out dangerous to have around.

Poisonous Part
Leaves, twigs (stems), roots, unripe fruits.
Toxic Principle
Cyanogenic glycoside and alkaloid.
Symptoms
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, coma.

The level of toxic response is determined by quantity ingested and the individual's level of susceptibility. It is difficult to state unconditionally what would happen because there are twin poisoning paths.

In 'english' that means a strong, healthy adult would most likely only get a severe stomach ache, but a child or sickly person could become unconscious. In the latter case ultimate result could be death although I have never heard of such ...the affected individual only wished they were dead due to the painful cramps.

The American Elder's *black* berries are edible and make nice jam and juice when properly processed. The flowers, a delicacy, are also edible.
I have no information that any other Sambucus' berry or flower is edible. The unripe green berries are poisonous and the ripe *red* berries found on some Sambucus ( e.g., this plant, Sambucus racemosa ) are poisonous. Do NOT eat them. Do NOT allow children or pets near them.

I am not so sure that the emergence of the Sambucus as a landscaping item is a good thing. Children put almost anything in their mouths ... especially "the pretty berries" they find.

Be careful where this plant is used.

Just as a completely non-scientific comment, the (wild) elderberry is most often found in places that are out of the way and not so easily reached. This may be part of the Grand Omniscious Design ...