The leaves are large and consist of 5 to 11 leaflets about 2 to 5 inches in length borne on short stalks. The clusters of edible fruits which follow are black or a very dark purple, small, round, shining, and juicy. Edible berries and flower are used for medicine, dyes for basketry, arrow shafts, flute, whistles, clapper sticks, and folk medicine. The juice and preserves of elderberry have been mainstays of rural pantries. Native Americans and early settlers used them as a dried and medicinal crop.
Elderberries are highly prized for food by modern Indian people.
The Cahuilla Indians gather the small clusters of berries throughout the months of July and August in large quantities. These clusters spread in thin layers and dried carefully on the drying floor so they will not become moldy. They are then preserved in considerable amounts. When wanted, they are cooked into a rich sauce that needs no sweetening. Frequently, the elderberry was so greatly enjoyed that families would live for weeks on little else.