''Sambucus velutina'', the velvet elder, is a relatively large,

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

shrub that is endemic to the Southwestern region of the United States. This particular species is characteristic of Central California and Western Nevada.

Morphological characteristics

The velvet elder has medium-hued, green,

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and in ...

leaves, that are notably hairy to the touch. Generally, there are about 5-9 individual leaflets present, each measuring anywhere from 5-30 centimeters (cm) in length. The plants are capable of growing up to anywhere from 3–8 meters (m) in height, with a typical, relatively thick, stem diameter of approximately 30-60 centimeter (cm). These plants have berries that are black and deep blue in color. These characteristics can be observed amongst many of the similar species that will be briefly discussed below. Sambucus velutina-Velvet Elder

Similar species

There are numerous, closely related species that are typically found throughout many regions of North America. ''Sambucus velutina'' is exclusively found in the Southwestern portion of the United States, yet multiple other genetically similar species can also be found living in other areas of the country. A few examples of such species include ''

Sambucus canadensis ''Sambucus canadensis'', the American black elderberry, Canada elderberry, or common elderberry, is a species of elderberry native to a large area of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, south to Bolivia. It grows in a variety of conditions ...

'' (American elder), '' Sambucus cerulea'' (blue elderberry), and '' Sambucus simpsonii'' (Florida elder).

References

plant.photos.netplantmaps.com
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7409113 velutina Flora of California Flora of Nevada Flora without expected TNC conservation status