Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Spring.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Elderberry bushes are very common along roadsides, trails, meadows, and open woods. The bushes often have a number of light brown dead stalks that easily snap exposing a pithy stem.  Early summer clusters of white flowers are followed by red/black berries.  These do not last long since they are favorites of bear, deer, and elk which bite off the entire berry cluster leaving a snipped stalk. Elderberries of the East are prized for pies and wine by humans, but S. microbotrys of the West is usually dry and bitter.

Linnaeus named this genus and species in 1753.  The species was named Sambucus pubens in 1803 by Andre Michaux from a specimen he collected in "the mountains of Pennsylvania".  (Quotation from Intermountain Flora).   Per Axel Rydberg renamed the species Sambucus microbotrys in 1901 from a specimen collected by Charles Bessey on Pike's Peak.

"Sambucus", an ancient musical instrument, refers to the use of the hollow stems as a whistle and "microbotrys" means "tiny grapes".

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Spring.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Spring.
Navajo Lake Trail, June 30, 2008.

A young Sambucus microbotrys gains its chlorophyll and stretches upward.

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Spring.
Lizard Head Trail, August 7, 2000.

Montane, subalpine. Disturbed areas, openings. Spring.
Lizard Head Trail, August 7, 2000.