American elderberry is a woody, deciduous shrub or small tree, 5 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, that is native to North America, Venezuela, and Brazil. It is a member of the viburnum family (Viburnaceae). It can be found in all areas of North Carolina along streams, marshes, moist forests, and disturbed areas. The genus name may be derived from sambuco, the Italian word for the elder bush, and epithet means "of Canada."