The fruits of the elderberry are often referred to as lilac berries. Are elderberries and lilacs the same? The following lines explain why this is not the case and what the differences are.
What are the differences between elderberry and lilac?
Elderberry and lilac are not the same. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has creamy white flowers in umbrella panicles, pinnate leaves and bears edible berries. Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) has purple flowers in long panicles, broad ovate leaves and forms capsule fruits.
How a dialect causes confusion
Ask a member of the older generation along the Lower Rhine to Lower Saxony to show you a lilac. The person being addressed will undoubtedly point to a black elderberry. In the local dialect, Platt, elderberries have been referred to as lilac berries since ancient times. In local usage, the common lilac is still called the Pingsterbloom.
This mini 'Tower of Babel' still causes confusion today, because even in tree nurseries and garden centers operating throughout Germany, black elderberry is usually offered with the nickname lilac berry. To be on the safe side when purchasing one of the two ornamental trees, you should always include the botanical name: Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) – Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris).
Optical differences
If you don't want to bother with botanical or etymological quibbles, rely on the obvious visual differences:
- Elderberry flowers appear in umbrella panicles, lilac flowers in up to 30 centimeter long panicles
- Elderberry blooms creamy white in June, lilac blooms purple in May
- Black elder bears berries, lilac forms capsule fruits
- The leaves of the black elderberry are pinnate, while the foliage of the lilac is broad and egg-shaped
While common lilac mainly serves as a feast for the eyes, black elderberry scores with edible berries and flowers. Even the leaves are used in folk medicine. In this context, it should not be overlooked that the toxic content in all parts of the plant only dissolves when heated to at least 80 degrees Celsius. Elderberries are therefore boiled down to make jam, jelly, syrup or compote.
Tips & Tricks
At least one thing connects elderberry and lilac: both bushes have an enormous urge to spread. You can put a stop to this dominant activity by planting the trees with a root barrier. This is an innovative geotextile (€36.00 on Amazon) that is inserted vertically into the soil at an appropriate distance around the root ball.
