also: せっこつぼく
noun
red-berried elder; Japanese elderberry
A deciduous shrub native to Japan, often found in mountainous areas. The berries are red and used in traditional medicine or for making fruit wine.
ニワトコの実は赤く熟すと鳥がよく食べに来る。
When the berries of the Japanese elderberry ripen red, birds often come to eat them.
庭の隅にニワトコを植えた。
I planted a Japanese elderberry in the corner of the garden.
Kanji spelling is rare; the reading せっこつぼく is also possible for this form.
Alternate reading for the kanji form 接骨木; rarely used.
Hiragana spelling is also common; usually written in kana.
Rarely used kanji form.
The Japanese name ニワトコ is of native origin. The kanji 接骨木 literally means 'bone-setting tree', referring to its traditional use in treating fractures, but the reading にわとこ is not derived from these characters.