Berries, elder toxicity

Sambucus ebulus. Grows to 4 feet in Eurasia and northern Africa also grows in eastern and central U.S. Also known as dwarf elder, Dane s elder. Its black berries are toxic. Good dye source. The root has a history of being used to treat snakebite. 

Only the blue elderberries are edibleSambucus canadensis and S. carulea (found in North America) as well as the European variety S. nigra. The red elder Sambucus pubens has toxic red berries and flowers that are conical rather than flat-topped clusters. "Blue is true and red is dead," is a popular expression among herbal harvesters. 

Elderberries provide food for birds, bears, chipmunks, elk, moose, deer, foxes, rabbits, squirrels and woodchucks. Linnaeus said the berries were not good food for chickens and turkeys and might even be toxic to them. The fact that many wild animals relish the elderberries helps to proliferate this wonderful shrub, as the elder seeds are fertilized by animal droppings. 

The deliberate or accidental ingestion of belladonna alkaloids is a major cause of toxicity in humans. The most dangerous and spectacular manifestation of poisoning arises from the intense excitation of the central nervous system (CNS). Infants and young children are especially susceptible to the toxic effects of atropinic drugs. In adults, delirium or toxic psychoses without undue peripheral manifestations have been reported after instillation of atropine eye drops. Transdermal preparation of scopolamine has been reported to cause toxic psychoses, especially in children and in the elderly. Serious intoxication may occur in children who ingest berries or seeds containing... 

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