SimplePlant

Viburnaceae

Black elderberry

Sambucus nigra L.

Family
Viburnaceae
Genus
Sambucus

Pets and kids

  • CatsToxic
  • DogsToxic
  • KidsToxic
Why

Cats: Toxic

Toxic to cats (moderate). Toxic principle: cyanogenic glycosides.

Signs: vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, tremors, lethargy.

Dogs: Toxic

Toxic to dogs (moderate). Toxic principle: cyanogenic glycosides.

Signs: vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy.

Kids: Toxic

Toxic to young children (moderate). Toxic principle: cyanogenic glycosides.

Signs: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malaise.

Black elderberry: Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) in the Burgwald Mountains near Wetter-Unterrosphe, Hesse, Germany
Photo: Willow, CC BY 2.5, from Wikimedia Commons

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Is Black elderberry safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Black elderberry safe for cats?

No. Our sources call Black elderberry toxic to cats (moderate). Toxic principle: cyanogenic glycosides. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, tremors, lethargy.

Is Black elderberry safe for dogs?

No. Our sources call Black elderberry toxic to dogs (moderate). Toxic principle: cyanogenic glycosides. Signs: vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy.

Is Black elderberry safe for kids?

No. Our sources call Black elderberry toxic to young children (moderate). Toxic principle: cyanogenic glycosides. Signs: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malaise.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Common names

By language (80)
aeb
3okkèz sidi moussa, عكّاز سيدي موسى
Albanian
Shtogu
Arabic
خمان أسود, البرلة, البشام, البلسان, البيلسان, الخمان, المنشم, بشام
Aragonese
Sabuco, Sabuquera, Sabuquero, Samuco, Samugo, Samuquera, Samuquero
Armenian
Կտտկենի սև
arz
خمان اسود
Asturian
Xabú
Azerbaijani
Qara gəndəlaş
ba
Мәрәүәр ағасы
bar
Holler
Basque
Intsusa beltz
Belarusian
Бузіна чорная
Bosnian
Zova, Bazga, Zohva
Bulgarian
Черен бъз
Catalan
Saüc, Saüquer, Saüquera, Sureau noir
ce
ЧӀижаргӀийн стом
Chinese
西洋接骨木, 接骨木, 接骨木叶, 接骨木根, 接骨木花
Corsican
Sambucu
Croatian
Crna bazga
csb
Czôrny bes
cv
Упа хура паланĕ
Czech
Bez černý, Bezinka, Kozenka, Černý bez
Danish
Almindelig hyld, Hyld, Hyldeblomst, Hyldeblomsten, Hyldebær
dsb
Carny baz
Dutch
Gewone vlier
English
Black elderberry, Elder, European elder, Black elder, Elderberry, European black elderberry, European elderberry
Esperanto
Nigra sambuko
Estonian
Must leeder
Finnish
Mustaselja
French
Sureau noir
frr
Halbuum
Galician
Bieiteiro, Bieito, Sabugo, Sabugueiro
Georgian
Დიდგულა
German
Schwarzer Holunder, Fliederbeere, Holler, Sureau noir
Greek
Σαμπούκος
gv
Tramman, Berrish hrammanagh
Hebrew
סמבוק שחור
hsb
Čorna bozanka, Bozankowy bóz, Ptači fikot, Čećaty bóz
Hungarian
Fekete bodza, Festőbodza
Icelandic
Svartyllir
Irish
Trom
Italian
Sambuco, Sambuco comune
Japanese
ニワトコ, にわとこ, エルダーフラワー, エルダーベリー, セッコツボク, ニワトコ科, 庭常, 接骨木
kab
Axilwan
kbd
Бэрэжьей
Korean
서양접골목
Latvian
Melnais plūškoks
Lithuanian
Juoduogis šeivamedis, Sureau noir
Luxembourgish
Schwaarzen Hielenter
Macedonian
Бозел
Malayalam
സാംബുകസ് നൈഗ്ര
mwl
Canelheiro
mzn
انگیر کولی
nap
Sammuk
Norwegian Bokmål
Svarthyll
Norwegian Nynorsk
Svarthyll
Occitan
Saüc negre, Sambuc, Sampechier
os
Сау фæдæгъд
Pashto
تور اېلډر
Persian
آقطی سیاه, اقطی سیاه
pfl
Holunder, Holler, Hollerbusch
Polish
Bez czarny, Bez lekarski, Czarny Bez, Dziki bez czarny
Portuguese
Caneleiro, Sabugueiro
Quechua
Yana rayan
Romanian
Soc negru, Soc, Socul negru
Russian
Бузина чёрная, Бузина перуанская, Бузина черная, Черная бузина, Чёрная бузина
sc
Sambucu mascu, Sauccu
Serbian
Зова, Црна зова
Slovak
Baza čierna
Slovenian
Črni bezeg
Spanish
Binteiro, Canillero, Caninero, Canolero, Cauco negro, Cañolero, Caúco negro, Cohetera
Swedish
Fläder, Hylle, Sureau noir, Äkta fläder
Turkish
Kara Mürver
Ukrainian
Бузина чорна
vec
Sanbugaro, Sanbugher
Vietnamese
Cơm cháy đen, Cây cơm cháy
vls
Vliender
Welsh
Ysgawen
Western Frisian
Flear
wuu
西洋接骨木

Synonyms

  • Sambucus alba Raf.
  • Sambucus aurea (Sweet) Carrière
  • Sambucus columnaris Lebas
  • Sambucus dissecta K.Koch
  • Sambucus elegans K.Koch
  • Sambucus graveolens Willd. ex Schult.
  • Sambucus hirta Tausch
  • Sambucus laciniata (L.) Mill.
  • Sambucus leucocarpa K.Koch
  • Sambucus lucida Tausch
  • Sambucus monstrosa Loudon
  • Sambucus nigra f. laciniata (L.) B.P.R.Chéron
  • Sambucus nigra f. laciniata (L.) Zabel
  • Sambucus nigra f. pendula Dippel
  • Sambucus nigra subsp. nigra
  • Sambucus nigra var. laciniata L.
  • Sambucus pulverulenta K.Koch
  • Sambucus pyramidata Lebas
  • Sambucus virescens Desf.
  • Sambucus vulgaris Neck.

Characteristics

Growth habit
Shrub, Tree
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Canada: introduced, Canada: native, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, Lower 48 states: native, Pacific Basin: introduced, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: introduced

Photos

More in Sambucus

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.