Red Elderberry

Sambucus racemosa

Strong

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height: 8–12 feet
Spread: 8–15 feet
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil moisture: Average to wet

Space about 11.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

Sambucus racemosa — fruit photograph — Flocci Nivis · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Bloom: April to May

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 6 West Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 82 animals.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Swainson's Warbler
Limnothlypis swainsonii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-winged Crossbill
Loxia leucoptera
Birds. 1 shared habitat

Widespread birds also seen here (38)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

34CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Sambucus

Achatodes zeaeElder Shoot Border Moth, Spindele Worm, Cornstalk Borer
Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
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
Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier

Show all 34

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

21BirdsRecorded eating Sambucus in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Ruffed Grouse3 diet records
American RobinFruit. 3 diet records
VeeryFruit and seeds. 3 diet records
Eastern KingbirdFruit. 2 diet records
Hermit ThrushFruit and seeds. 2 diet records
Swainson's ThrushFruit and seeds. 2 diet records
White-eyed Vireo2 diet records
Wood ThrushFruit and seeds. 2 diet records
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerLeaves. 2 diet records
American Pipit1 diet record

Show all 21

Blue-headed Vireo1 diet record
Downy WoodpeckerFruit. 1 diet record
Eastern BluebirdFruit. 1 diet record
Eastern Wood-peweeFruit. 1 diet record
Evening Grosbeak1 diet record
Hairy Woodpecker1 diet record
Indigo Bunting1 diet record
Northern CardinalFruit. 1 diet record
Rose-breasted GrosbeakFlowers. 1 diet record
Song SparrowFruit. 1 diet record
White-crowned SparrowFruit. 1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

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

Birds that eat Sambucus 21

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Ruffed Grouse
Bonasa umbellus
3 diet records
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Fruit. 3 diet records
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Fruit and seeds. 3 diet records
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Fruit. 2 diet records
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Fruit and seeds. 2 diet records
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
Fruit and seeds. 2 diet records
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
2 diet records
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Fruit and seeds. 2 diet records
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Leaves. 2 diet records
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens
1 diet record
Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
1 diet record
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Fruit. 1 diet record
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Fruit. 1 diet record
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Fruit. 1 diet record
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
1 diet record
Hairy Woodpecker
Picoides villosus
1 diet record
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
1 diet record
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Fruit. 1 diet record
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Flowers. 1 diet record
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Fruit. 1 diet record
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Fruit. 1 diet record

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Viburnaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3–7
Flower color: Cream

What its natural habitat tells you

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to May” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide · Nursery cultural guide; height in flower; moisture categories retained as printed
Flower color · “Cream” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide · Nursery cultural guide; height in flower; moisture categories retained as printed
Hardiness · “Zones 3–7” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Height · “8–12 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Light · “Full sun to part shade” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs)
Soil · “Medium to wet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs)
Spread · “8–15 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder

Also known as

Sambucus pubens

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	S4
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Red Elderberry

At a glance

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Birds that eat Sambucus 21

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Sambucus