This red-berried Elder is found the most abundantly at Cedar Breaks. It is also common along the highways through forested areas of the region.
The clusters of small white flowers that come on usually in June or July give way to bright-red berries in August and present a most attractive display.
Most Elders are edible and are eaten by birds and rodents. Some people gather the berries for wines and jellies. This species, however, is considered poisonous, and cases of poisoning have been reported from eating the berries, flowers, roots and bark.
The stalks of some Elders are pithy and fairly easily hollowed out. Indians used the stalks for making flutes.
Elder
32. LITTLELEAF MOUNTAINMAHOGANYRose Family
Cercocarpus intricatus
This low-growing shrub is fairly important as winter browse for deer and other browsing animals. The leathery leaves are evergreen, rather narrow, pointed at both ends and curled backwards from the sides. The flowers are very small and inconspicuous, but the fruits, with their long plumes, present an interesting display. The dead wood of this shrub is very useful to campers, as it burns with extremely hot flame and gives off very little smoke.
Littleleaf Mountainmahagony