Abstract

Fremstad, E. & Elven, R. 1998. Fremmede planter i Norge. Hyll-arter Sambucus spp. Blyttia 57: 39-45.
Alien plants in Norway. Sambucus spp.

Elder Sambucus nigra and Red Elder S. racemosa are grown as ornamentals and both escape in Norway. Elder has probably been cultivated since the Middle Ages. It was well established already in the 1870’s, and is now found more or less frequent in coastal areas north to Central Norway (Sør-Trøndelag). It is mostly a plant of margins, not fully naturalized. Red Elder was introduced much later, probably in the 18th century, and was still very rare as escaped in the 1870’s. Since then, it has expanded very rapidly, now reaching the northernmost parts of Central Norway (Nord-Trøndelag) and is still spreading. It is fully naturalized and often common, specially in nutrient-rich damp forests and margins, and mostly in interior and less oceanic coastal areas. Both species are dispersed by birds. A possible cause of the rapid expansion and naturalization of Red Elder may be the lack of a natural shrub layer in many Nordic forests. This lack is probably caused by a delayed invasion of forest shrubs after the last glaciation. Red Elder has, therefore, probably found an empty niche in the Nordic landscape.

Eli Fremstad, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Vitenskapsmuseet, Institutt for naturhistorie, N-7491 Trondheim
Reidar Elven, Universitetet i Oslo, Botanisk hage og museum, Trondheimsveien 23b, N-0562 Oslo

Blyttia 57(1)
Blyttias hjemmeside
Lagt ut 14.7.1999 Jan Wesenberg