2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Elderberry racemose (Latin Sambucus racemosa) - medicinal, decorative and berry culture; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. Other names are common elder, red elder or cluster elder. In nature, it occurs in the undergrowth of mixed and coniferous forests, ravines, forest edges and roadsides in Western Europe, and also grows in the reserves of Russian cities located in the European part. Today, the culture is cultivated in regions with a temperate climate. It is cultivated mainly as an ornamental crop. Flowers and fruits of shrubs are actively used in folk medicine.
Characteristics of culture
Elderberry racemose, or red, is represented by deciduous strongly branching shrubs or small trees up to 5 m high with a rather dense ovoid crown and erect stems, covered at a young age with smooth bark, later flaky. The surface of the stems is covered with whitish lenticels, which consist of loose tissue and are vents through which air enters. It should be noted that the branches of the elderberry racemose are very fragile, the reason for this is the fact that their core is too loose and takes up more than half of the volume.
The leaves of the red elderberry are compound, pinnate, opposite, light green, have an unpleasant odor that can scare off many pests, consist of 5-7 pointed, sharp-toothed, elliptical, elongated-lanceolate or ovoid leaves up to 10 cm long. Young foliage often has purple or a dark red tint, which is formed due to the presence of an increased amount of anthocyanin pigment.
The flowers are greenish-yellow, small, numerous, fragrant, with a five-membered double perianth, a wheel-shaped corolla, collected in paniculate inflorescences of an oblong-ovoid, ovoid or conical shape up to 20 cm in diameter. Berry-like fruits, bright red, small, collected in dense clusters. Elderberry blooms red, or ordinary up to 15-20 days. The flowers bloom at the same time as the leaves. Abundant flowering, annual. The fruits ripen in late July - mid-August.
Unlike the black elderberry and the Canadian elderberry, the species in question has fruits that have an unpleasant taste and smell, therefore they are not eaten by people, although the birds eat them willingly, due to which the seeds spread over long distances. Red elderberry, like its closest relatives, is distinguished by its rapid growth, especially if it is planted in an area with moist and fertile soil.
The species in question develops well in areas open to the sun, but tolerates partial shade. Red elderberry is relatively winter-hardy, although in severe winters immature young shoots can freeze too much. The culture is resistant to gas and dust, therefore it is suitable for landscaping urban public places. Propagated by seed, layering and cuttings. It is a decorative species that looks great during flowering and fruiting.
Forms
Currently, on the garden market, you can find several forms of red elderberry, or ordinary:
* f. flavescens (yellowish) - the form is represented by shrubs with yellow fruits with orange sides;
* f. nana (low) - the form is represented by dwarf dwarf shrubs with a compact crown;
* f. purpurea (purple) - the form is represented by shrubs with purple or pink flowers;
* f. plumosa (pinnate) - the form is represented by shrubs with purple foliage, consisting of serrated leaves;
* f. tenuifolia (thin-leaved) - the form is represented by shrubs with leaves dissected into narrow purple leaves;
* f. laciniata (dissected-leaved) - the most common and popular form, is presented in the form of a small tree or shrub with a tent-like crown, large leaves consisting of small leaves and numerous greenish-yellow flowers, collected in ovoid or globular inflorescences.
Application
Elderberry, or common, is used in horticulture and folk medicine. The healing properties of flowers and fruits have been known since ancient times, although the chemical composition of these parts of the plant has not been fully studied. It is known that inflorescences and fruits contain their own sugars, organic acids, vitamins, essential oil, rutin, etc. Tinctures from flowers are advised to be used in the complex in the treatment of angina and other inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, headaches, bronchial asthma, colds and rheumatism. Fruit and flower tea is used as a laxative, diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory agent.
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Elderberry Rowan
Elderberry rowan is one of the plants of the family called Rosaceae, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Sorbus sambucifolia (Cham. et Schlecht). M. Roem. As for the name of the elderberry family itself, in Latin it will be like this:
Raven Racemose, Or Black Cohosh Racemose
Black raven racemose, or Black cohosh racemose (Latin Actaea racemosa, or Cimicifuga racemosa) - a herbaceous perennial plant that fell into the genus Voronets (Latin Actaea) by adding to it plants of the Klopogon genus, the Buttercup family (Latin Ranunculaceae).
Elderberry Herbaceous
Elderberry herb (lat.Sambucus ebulus) - herbaceous plant; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. Previously, the genus, which includes the species in question, was attributed to the Honeysuckle family, sometimes it was altogether isolated into a separate family called Elderberry.
Elderberry Fluffy
Elderberry fluffy (Latin Sambucus pubens) - decorative and healing culture; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. A native of the eastern regions of North America. In nature, it is found on hills, in meadows, forests and river valleys.
Elderberry Black
Black elderberry (Latin Sambucus nigra) - medicinal, ornamental and berry shrub; a representative of the elder genus of the Adoksovye family. Previously, the genus was ranked as a member of the Honeysuckle family. In nature, this culture can be found on forest edges, wastelands, clearings, road shoulders, as well as in the undergrowth of deciduous and mixed forests of Transcaucasia, Europe, North America, North Africa and the Azores.
