Parque Nacional Garajonay

Canary elder (Sambucus palmensis)

A small tree that is endemic to the Canary Islands which can grow to a height of ten metres and which is in danger of extinction. It is a very demanding species regarding moisture, and is to be found at the bottom of ravines or of oozing walls with a northerly orientation in areas of laurisilva. Despite having been located spontaneously only in three locations it is well-known in La Gomera as it has been planted in a number of hamlets in the north. Due to its medicinal use, for illnesses of the skin and to the scarcity of its locations, it is a plant with great value for conservation. Its reproduction in the nursery is proving very fruitful, and several hundred individuals have been reintroduced into different localities. It is a threatened species. Flowering: April-June