Red Elderberry

Sambucus racemosa var. pubens

Native to Kentucky (estimated)

Photographs are not available yet.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

35CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Sambucus

Achatodes zeaeElder Shoot Border Moth, Spindele Worm, Cornstalk Borer
Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
Anania tertialisCrowned Anania, Crowned Phlyctaenia
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Callima argenticinctellaOrange-Headed Epicallima
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper

Show all 35

Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Eueretagrotis attentusAttentive Dart
Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
Lacanobia grandisGrand Arches
Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Paralobesia viteanaAmerican Vine Moth, Grape Berry Moth
Proteoteras moffatianaMaple Bud Borer, Maple Shoot Borer
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
Paralobesia rhoifructana
Paralobesia sambuci

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

3BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Sambucus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

49BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Sambucus

Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Catharus fuscescensVeery
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak

Show all 49

Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
Cyanocitta stelleriSteller's Jay
Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
Dryobates pubescensDowny Woodpecker
Dryobates villosusHairy Woodpecker
Empidonax alnorum/trailliiAlder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)
Empidonax difficilisPacific-slope Flycatcher
Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
Icterus bullockiiBullock's Oriole
Melanerpes formicivorusAcorn Woodpecker
Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
Myiarchus cinerascensAsh-throated Flycatcher
Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
Passerina cyaneaIndigo Bunting
Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
Piranga ludovicianaWestern Tanager
Sayornis nigricansBlack Phoebe
Sayornis sayaSay's Phoebe
Sialia currucoidesMountain Bluebird
Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Sphyrapicus variusYellow-bellied Sapsucker
Toxostoma redivivumCalifornia Thrasher
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
Tyrannus verticalisWestern Kingbird
Vireo belliiBell's Vireo
Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
Vireo huttoniHutton's Vireo
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo
Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Viburnaceae
Flower color: White
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Mid summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “White” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 18 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Partial shade; Full shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) · Carolinas and Georgia
primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Red Elderberry

Conservation status

Kentucky rank	Not available
Global rank	G5T5
KY status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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