No. 33
American elderberry
Sambucus canadensis (S. nigra ssp. canadensis)
elderflower
Flowers, buds & pollen flower clusters (umbel-like cymes)
Drawing: Britton & Brown, Illustrated Flora (1913)
- Find
- Common in the right habitat
- Effort
- Quick kitchen prep
- ID risk
- Careful
- Origin
- native
- Safety marks
- Deadly lookalike
- Toxic lookalike
- Toxic parts
- Cook first
- Uses
- Baking & desserts
- Syrup & cordial
- Tea
- Wine & spirits
Season
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
in season peak
What these mean
Find
1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Effort
1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.
ID risk
How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.
Native or not, and the invader stars
Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.
Safety marks and flags
Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.
Seasons
Start, peak and end are given in thirds of a month: early, mid or late. A plant counts as in season for a month if it is in season at any point in that month. Some greens and roots have a second window, in spring or fall; their page shows each window. A season that runs across New Year is shown as one window.
What it looks like
A multi-stemmed native shrub, 5-12 ft tall, with opposite, pinnately compound leaves, white pith in the stems, and bark dotted with bumps. In early summer it carries broad, flat-topped clusters (4-10 in across) of tiny, creamy-white, fragrant flowers. The flowers have a delicate, sweet floral flavor.
Safety
Use only the flowers: leaves, stems, bark and roots contain cyanogenic glycosides, so strip or rub florets off and discard bits of stem and leaf. DEADLY LOOKALIKE: water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) also has white umbrella-shaped flower heads and toothed compound leaves and grows in the same wet places, but it is a soft-stemmed herb, not a woody shrub. Do not pick flowers from anything without woody, barked stems. Devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa) has similar-looking flower heads but stout spines on its stems and leafstalks. Avoid red elderberry (S. racemosa). University of Minnesota Extension says to use elderflowers only cooked (in batter or brewed as tea), because eating any part of elder raw can cause digestive problems; its entry is for blue elderberry, but the caution covers elder generally. Penn State’s elderflower syrup (reprinted by Oregon State) pours just-boiled syrup over the fresh flowers and lets them infuse for 1-3 days without further cooking. The cautious route is to cook the flowers or brew them hot.
Lookalikes
Water hemlock Cicuta maculata deadly
Water hemlock has similar white umbrella-shaped flower heads and toothed compound leaves in the same wet places, but it is a soft-stemmed herb; elderberry is a woody shrub with barked stems, so never pick from a plant without woody stems.
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Cicuta maculata (Water Hemlock) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Poison hemlock Conium maculatum deadly
Poison hemlock’s white umbels only superficially resemble elderflower; it is a 6-10 ft herb with smooth, hairless, purple-blotched hollow stems and finely divided fern-like leaves, not a woody shrub.
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Conium maculatum (Poison Hemlock) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Devil’s walking stick Aralia spinosa toxic
Devil’s walking stick has large flower heads and purple berries like elderberry, but its stems, branches and leafstalks carry prominent sharp spines; elderberry stems are smooth. NC State rates it low severity: unripe berries are poisonous, and ripe ones are not poisonous but still not edible.
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Aralia spinosa (Devil’s Walking Stick) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Red elderberry Sambucus racemosa toxic
Red elderberry’s fruits are bright red rather than purple-black; Oregon State says it may have higher toxin levels, especially in the seeds, and should not be used for food products.
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Play it safe when preserving elderberries (EM 9446) Oregon State University Extension
- Elderberry (Piedmont Master Gardeners) Piedmont Master Gardeners / Virginia Cooperative Extension
Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum irritant
Giant hogweed is a herbaceous plant whose sap causes severe sun-triggered burns, not a woody shrub; UMD lists elderberry as a lookalike, though hogweed is uncommon in Maryland (Baltimore, Harford and Garrett counties).
- Giant Hogweed in Maryland: Identification & Management University of Maryland Extension
- Heracleum mantegazzianum (Giant Hogweed) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Giant hogweed and its toxic cousins National Capital Poison Center (poison.org)
Safety flags
Cook first
Precaution: University of Minnesota Extension says to use elderflowers only cooked (its entry is for blue elderberry, but the caution covers elder generally). Penn State’s syrup pours just-boiled syrup over the fresh flowers without cooking them further.
- Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Giant Hogweed in Maryland: Identification & Management University of Maryland Extension
- Giant hogweed and its toxic cousins National Capital Poison Center (poison.org)
- Edible flowers University of Minnesota Extension
Handling hazard (serious)
phototoxic sap, thorns/prickles: Lookalike risks, not the elder itself: giant hogweed, which UMD lists as an elderberry lookalike, has sap that with sunlight causes serious skin inflammation and possible blindness (UMD; poison.org), though UMD says it is uncommon in Maryland (Baltimore, Harford, Garrett counties). Devil’s walking stick, also near elder, has sharp spines (Alabama Extension).
- Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Giant Hogweed in Maryland: Identification & Management University of Maryland Extension
- Giant hogweed and its toxic cousins National Capital Poison Center (poison.org)
- Edible flowers University of Minnesota Extension
Toxic parts
Leaves, stems, bark and roots contain cyanogenic glycosides; strip florets and discard bits of stem (NC State, Alabama Extension).
- Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension System
- Giant Hogweed in Maryland: Identification & Management University of Maryland Extension
- Giant hogweed and its toxic cousins National Capital Poison Center (poison.org)
- Edible flowers University of Minnesota Extension
Safety marks and flags: what this means
Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.
- ID risk
- Careful
- Why
- Deadly lookalike water hemlock has similar white umbrella-shaped flower heads in the same wet places but is a soft-stemmed herb; pick only from a woody, barked shrub. UMD and NC State also list giant hogweed as an elderberry lookalike (phototoxic sap). Devil’s walking stick has similar heads but stout spines.
- Handling hazards
- Thorns, Phototoxic sap (serious)
- Soil risk
- moderate
ID risk: what this means
How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.
Handling hazards: what this means
Stings, thorns, irritating or phototoxic sap, staining hulls and spiny husks, with a severity: minor = brief discomfort; moderate = rash or blisters lasting days; serious = burns, scarring or medical care possible.
Soil risk: what this means
Based on the part you eat, following the urban-soil lead guidance on the Field safety page: higher for greens, shoots and roots; moderate for flowers; low for fruit, nuts and sap.
Field safety for every outing (poison ivy, ticks, soil, and more)
When to pick
- Starts
- late May
- Peak
- late May–mid Jun
- Ends
- early Jul
In DC, elderberry bloom rises sharply in the last third of May, stays high until mid-June and tapers off by early July (iNaturalist records). Fairfax County’s Soil and Water Conservation District gives June-July for Northern Virginia, and NC State says it blooms profusely in June. Pick clusters soon after they open (Piedmont Master Gardeners). Each cluster you pick is one fewer cluster of berries later.
How the dates were worked out
Every start, peak and end was re-checked in October 2026. “Sourced” means a source opened during the check states that timing for the DC or Mid-Atlantic area. “Estimated” means no source states it exactly; the reason, the evidence and the source links are under “How the dates were worked out” on each plant’s page. Peaks are often estimated, because few sources name a peak. iNaturalist evidence means research-grade sightings near DC, by month, of the plant at that stage (for example, in fruit). iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Season basis: sourced
Start
sourced
Peak
sourced
End
sourced
Evidence
start: DC iNaturalist research-grade flowering records by week: May 7-13: 4, May 14-20: 6, May 21-27: 25. DCist (May 24, 2019) describes a forager picking elderflowers in Hyattsville, MD. | peak: DC iNaturalist flowering records stay at 23-26/week from May 21 to Jun 17, then fall to 16, 6 and 2. NC State: 'They bloom profusely in June.' | end: Fairfax County Soil and Water Conservation District (Northern Virginia): 'Clusters of small white flowers June - July'. Last DC iNaturalist flowering records fall in the week of Jul 2-8.
- api.inaturalist.org/v1/observations/histogram
- There’s plenty of food to forage for around D.C., if you know where to look DCist
- Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Native Plants from 2026 Seedling Sale Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (Fairfax County)
Where to look
Stream banks and field edges; the big stands at Huntley Meadows and along Four Mile Run are good places to learn it, but no listed park allows picking flowers, so pick on private land with permission.
- Habitats
- disturbed ground & waste places, old fields & meadows, woods edges, trailsides & thickets, floodplain & stream-valley forest, wetlands, marshes & pond edges
Habitats: what this means
Listed where the plant’s own sources place it in that habitat. “Disturbed ground & waste places” means a cited source places it on disturbed areas, sites, soil or ground, on waste places or waste ground, on construction or abandoned building sites (old home sites count), on rubble or in strip mines. When the source gives examples of the disturbed places, at least one example must be of that kind. Examples that do not count: natural or forestry disturbance (treefall gaps, fire, windthrow, flood scour, old riverbanks and creeks, clear-cuts); roadsides, railroads and rights-of-way; and abandoned fields, pastures and farmland, which are “Old fields & meadows”. “Vacant lots” only where a source says vacant or empty lots.
Most-logged places
None of the most-logged places allows picking.
Ask first: rules unclear or not checked
- Kingman & Heritage Islands
No DC rule found that allows or bans picking; treat as not authorized and never damage plants (DC Code 22-3310).
No picking here (4 places)
- Huntley Meadows Park
Look but don’t pick: Fairfax County parks ban removing any plant part without written permission.
- Rock Creek Park
Look but don’t pick: Rock Creek Park’s compendium bans gathering any fruit, nut, berry, seed or greenery.
- Four Mile Run stream valley (Arlington/Alexandria)
Look but don’t pick: Arlington County park rules (flora shall not be removed or disturbed) and Alexandria’s permit rule both apply.
- C&O Canal NHP (towpath, Georgetown to Great Falls MD and beyond)
Look but don’t pick: the C&O Canal compendium covers only edible fruits, nuts, berries and mushrooms, and NPS parks can never designate leaves, flowers, roots or sap.
Most-logged places: what this means
The places with the most research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km of downtown DC (re-counted in October 2026 over every named place, campuses, condominiums and private grounds included), each marked legal to pick or not. A sighting inside several named places counts once, for the smallest of them, but a sighting inside a National Park Service park never counts for a private, campus or unchecked place. iNaturalist shows where people walk and log plants, not true abundance. Private campuses, condominiums, museums, estates and utility land (Pepco’s power-line land near Sligo Creek) are marked “no” (pick only with the owner’s permission); public university campuses, city parks and other places whose picking rules were not checked (county stormwater land, the U.S. Capitol Grounds, Greenbelt’s North Woods, federal facilities such as the National Zoo) are “unknown”. A place needs at least 2 sightings, so plants with very few sightings (rugosa rose) have no places. No most-logged places are named for at-risk plants (ramps, chinquapin, American chestnut); chinquapin’s page names Mason Neck State Park, where picking is legal, and asks you to leave most nuts. For some places, mostly Rock Creek Park, the iNaturalist map shows more sightings than the count here, because a map link cannot leave out exactly the sightings credited to another place. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Where you may pick
Picking flowers reduces that year’s berry crop for you and for wildlife. Rock Creek Park’s 2026 compendium bans gathering any fruits, berries or seeds for personal use. C&O Canal NHP lists elderberries (fruit), not flowers.
- (no listed park)
Private land with the owner’s permission only
Where you may pick: what this means
For each park system: “yes” where its current rules (the park’s compendium or regulation) allow this plant or part, with the limit; “ambiguous” where the wording may or may not cover it, so ask the park; “no” where it is not allowed. Rock Creek Park, the GW Parkway sites (including Great Falls VA and Theodore Roosevelt Island), the National Mall, Montgomery and Prince George’s parks, Maryland state parks, and Fairfax and Arlington parks prohibit picking. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts allows blackberries and raspberries (one gallon per person per day) and chestnuts (one gallon per person per day). National Park Service rules are reissued every year; other parks change theirs from time to time, so check the park’s current rules. The Where you may pick page has every park’s rules.
Ways to use it
- elderflower syrup/cordial
- tea (dried)
- wine
- added to pancakes
Keeping
Dry or infuse the flower heads the day you pick them, and keep elderflower syrup refrigerated (a few weeks) or frozen, never canned.
- Use within
- pick & use same day
- Keeps fresh
- Use the day you pick them. Dry or infuse right away, because high-moisture plant material molds if not dried quickly (general guidance for herbs). Shake out insects rather than rinsing, which removes flavor (OSU).
- Canning
- no tested recipe: refrigerate or freeze, don’t can
- Keeping basis
- specific to this plant
Ways to keep it
Dry as researched: dry/dehydrate; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)
Dry whole clusters on parchment at 80°F or less, then rub off the flowers, discarding stems and leaf bits, which are more toxic (OSU). Store airtight in a cool, dark place (NCHFP herbs).
Ferment as researched: ferment/wine; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)
Elderflower wine is a listed use.
Syrup as researched: syrup/cordial; canning: no tested recipe — refrigerate or freeze
Infuse in a lemon and citric-acid sugar syrup in the fridge for 1-3 days, strain, refrigerate and use within a few weeks, or freeze. Never store it at room temperature or can it (OSU; recipe from Penn State).
Canning: what this means
Shelf-stable canning, three levels. Lab-tested: a lab-tested recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) or Oregon State covers this fruit and product, or a generic recipe for its kind (the line says so, for example chokeberry). Extension recipe: a published Extension recipe (University of Alaska Fairbanks, written for Alaska species; University of Maine’s dandelion jelly), or a process that is safe only with a pH meter; follow it exactly, never improvise. No tested recipe: refrigerate or freeze, don’t can. “Hot-bottled syrup” = maple and walnut syrup, which keep when bottled hot at full syrup density. The Canning line names the exact product each source covers, for example “whole berries” or “juice”; a product not named there (such as juice from a berry with only a whole-berry recipe) has no tested recipe.
Keeping basis: what this means
“Specific to this plant” or “general guidance for its type” (for example NCHFP guidance for leafy greens applied to a wild green).
Nutrition
Not researched: in October 2026, only the calendar’s plants of the month and chicory leaves were researched.
Native or not
American elderberry (S. nigra ssp. canadensis) is native. European elder (S. nigra ssp. nigra) is a separate, non-native taxon sometimes planted; not on any of the lists checked.
- Origin
- native
- Native range
- eastern North America
- Virginia invasive rank
- not listed
- Maryland invasive status
- not listed
Native or not, and the invader stars: what this means
Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.
Virginia DCR, Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective September 2024), verbatim: "Under the DCR Invasive Species Assessment Protocol, approved by the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group, January 2024, species were ranked as exhibiting high, medium or low levels of invasiveness based on their threat to natural communities and native species. Invasiveness rank is higher for species that: • Alter ecosystem processes, such as succession, hydrology or fire regime. • Are capable of invading undisturbed natural communities. • Cause substantial impacts on rare or vulnerable species or natural communities or high-quality examples of more common communities. • Are found widely distributed and generally abundant where present. • Disperse readily to new areas. • Are difficult to control." The list also states: "The list is for educational purposes only and has no regulatory authority."
Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations page, verbatim: "Plants on the Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List may not be added to stock after the effective date and should not be sold after their phase-out period ends."
No official DC invasive plant list was found.
How the ratings were set
- Find
- Common in the right habitat Estimate 1,466 = 1,067 research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km + 314 needs-ID sightings counted in full (American elderberry is the only Sambucus with research-grade sightings here) + 85 'cultivated' (planted) sightings (rule A); that is tier 2 by count (rule B). Final tier 2.
- Effort
- Quick kitchen prep Strip or rub the florets off the stems and cook them in pancake batter or brew a quick hot tea; for syrup, just-boiled syrup is poured over the flowers and left to infuse 1-3 days in a cool place or the fridge (Penn State; Oregon State).
Find: what this means
1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Effort: what this means
1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.
Sources
26 sources, each linked to the original.
- Rock Creek Park Superintendent’s Compendium (2026) National Park Service, Rock Creek ParkBacks up: picking rules
- Elderberry in the Garden and the Kitchen Penn State ExtensionBacks up: description, uses, keeping
- Giant Hogweed in Maryland: Identification & Management University of Maryland ExtensionBacks up: effort & ID risk
- Giant hogweed and its toxic cousins National Capital Poison Center (poison.org)Backs up: effort & ID risk
- iNaturalist research-grade observations of Sambucus canadensis within 25 km of downtown DC iNaturalistBacks up: findability
- Common Elderberry Missouri Department of ConservationBacks up: habitat
- Herbs (drying) National Center for Home Food Preservation (Univ. of Georgia)Backs up: keeping
- USDA PLANTS Database: Sambucus canadensis / S. nigra ssp. canadensis (SACA12), native status USDA NRCSBacks up: native or invasive status
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Sambucus nigra (Country or Region of Origin) North Carolina State University ExtensionBacks up: native or invasive status
- Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective date: September 2024) Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural HeritageBacks up: native or invasive status
- Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations (Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List, updated January 2026; additions effective July 15, 2026; 'Next Plants To Be Assessed' 2026-2027) Maryland Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection & Weed ManagementBacks up: native or invasive status
- Non-Native Invasive Terrestrial Plant Species in the State of Maryland (updates approved through the April 18, 2024 MISC meeting) Maryland Invasive Species CouncilBacks up: native or invasive status
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide (Swearingen & Fulton, 2022; successor to the NPS/USFWS 5th ed., 2017) Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council / Passiflora Press (hosted by Bugwood/Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool)Backs up: native or invasive status
- Invasive Plants in the District DC Department of Energy & EnvironmentBacks up: native or invasive status
- Edible flowers University of Minnesota ExtensionBacks up: safety
- Cicuta maculata (Water Hemlock) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: safety details
- Conium maculatum (Poison Hemlock) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: safety details
- Aralia spinosa (Devil’s Walking Stick) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: safety details
- Heracleum mantegazzianum (Giant Hogweed) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: safety details
- American Elderberry Commercial Production Guide Alabama Cooperative Extension SystemBacks up: safety, habitat
- Native Plants from 2026 Seedling Sale Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (Fairfax County)Backs up: season, description
- Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: season, description, uses, habitat, safety
- Growing and Marketing Elderberries in Missouri (AF1017) University of Missouri ExtensionBacks up: season, uses
- There’s plenty of food to forage for around D.C., if you know where to look DCistBacks up: season, uses, habitat, picking rules
- Elderberry (Piedmont Master Gardeners) Piedmont Master Gardeners / Virginia Cooperative ExtensionBacks up: season, uses, safety
- Play it safe when preserving elderberries (EM 9446) Oregon State University ExtensionBacks up: uses, safety, keeping