Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT
Species Description:
Native shrubs growing 2-4(-8) m tall, less commonly small single-stemmed trees, young twigs are soft and pithy but the wood hard. The is bark thin, grayish to dark brown, irregularly furrowed and ridged. The compound leaves are deciduous, opposite, about 15-35 cm long, often with a long stalk, often asymmetrical at the base.
Habitat Description:
Common elderberry is common along stream banks, river banks, and open places in riparian areas lower than < 3000 m. Elderberry grows on moist, well-drained sunny sites, usually occurring in openings in moist forest habitats (slopes, canyons, cliff bases, streamsides, streambanks) and moist areas within drier, at elevations of 3-3000 meters. This species flowers from May to September and fruits from July to October. Common elderberry is more common on warmer sites than red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), although they overlap in habitat.
Native American Use:
The red berries of other species are toxic and should not be gathered. Only the blue or purple berries of elderberry are edible. Edible berries and flower are used for medicine, dyes for basketry, arrow shafts, flute, whistles, clapper sticks, and folk medicine. The wood is hard and has been used for combs, spindles, and pegs, and the hollow stems have been fashioned into flutes and blowguns. Elderberry twigs and fruit are employed in creating dyes for basketry. These stems are dyed a very deep black by soaking them for a week or so in a wash made from the berry stems of the elderberry . Flutes and whistles were constructed by boring holes into stems hollowed out with hot sticks. Clapper sticks were made by splitting the stem and clapping the two halves against each other. Clapper sticks were used ceremonially in the round-house to accompany singing and dancing. The pith of the stems was used as tinder, and the stem itself was employed as a twirling stick for starting the fire.
Harvest Season: Fall
Coast Miwok Name: unknown
Southern Pomo: bat ink le
Native Plant Species
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Iris
Gumplant
Huckleberry
Ithurieal’s Spear
Seaweed
Jimson Weed
Lupine
Mugwort
Redbud
Redwood
Rush
Salmon Berry
Seaweed
Sedge
Showy Indian Clover
Silverweed
Soaproot
Strawberry
Sunflower
Tobacco
Toyon
Valley oak
Wax Myrtle
Willow
Yarrow
Yerba Buena
E L D E R B E R R Y - Scientific Name: Sambucus caerulea
