The elderberry is a botanical gem celebrated for its versatile medicinal properties. Revered for centuries in many different cultures, this delicate-looking, fruit-bearing shrub holds a prominent role in herbal medicine. The Elder tree provides great ecological benefits, grows prolifically in many regions, and has a multitude of medicinal uses. The flowers and berries of this plant have been utilized for centuries in the Americas, dating back as far as 1300 to 1000 BCE. All parts of the plant were used by indigenous peoples for food, medicine, and even instruments. As with most medicinal plants, rich folklore is woven into the history of the Elder tree.
The elder tree is really a deciduous, perennial shrub with clusters of tiny, delicate, white flowers and bunches of dark purple fruit. Elder flowers are typically harvested from around mid May until late June, and the berries are harvested from late June until the first frost of fall. Why then, would I tell you all about it just as winter settles in? The winter months often come with an unfortunate mix of colds, flus, and other ailments which elderberries are known to help subdue (and because I have many other plant profiles to share with you during the spring!).
Etymology and Varieties
The common name elderberry, or elder, comes from an Anglo-Saxon word aeld which means "to kindle" or "fire." It was given this name due to the fact that its hollowed out stems were once used to blow on kindling from a safe distance. Sambucus, is derived from the Greek word “sambuca,” a flute-like instrument. Because of its soft pith, the Elder’s wood can be easily hollowed, making it perfect to craft into instruments like the one seen in this fresco (the instrument on the left):
Roman fresco from Pompeii, 1st century AD (National Archaeological Museum, Naples)
There are many known species of Sambucus, a genus of flowering plants in the Adoxaceae family (recently moved to this family from the honeysuckle family). Common elderberry is known by two names: Sambucus nigra (European elderberry) or Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry). European elderberry is a European native that’s a bit larger and more tree-like. American elderberry is native to eastern North America and is more shrub-like. These are the main two varieties that are cultivated for consumption. There are plenty of other varieties that are native to different areas, including Mexican Elder, European Red Elder, American Red Elder, and Danewort, or Dwarf Elderberry. In the wild, elders can be found in woodlands, hedgerows, and along river or creek banks.
Ecological Benefits
Elder is easy to grow and makes an excellent addition to any type of garden, especially as a border or shrub layer. Wherever it grows, the Elder tree helps to sustain wildlife by providing food, shelter, and nesting material. Native bees rely on this plant for its perfect nesting material. Native bees are essential to their ecosystems, and as you may know, their populations are in rapid decline, and they are much more vital to healthy ecosystems than honeybees (that’s another subject entirely)! Other pollinators are attracted to the nectar of the flowers which provides them with sustained nutrition and energy. Even mammals and songbirds eagerly consume the nutritious berries. Over 120 bird species rely on the Elder tree for its fruit and seek shelter among its branches, including bluebirds, mockingbirds, nuthatches, orioles, sparrows, tanagers, woodpeckers, pheasants, doves, and many more. Elders also provide excellent soil structure, especially on riverbanks and similar areas.
Cultivation
If you want to take advantage of the ecological and medicinal benefits of the Elder, you may choose to cultivate it in your garden or as a living border. You’ll need to choose a variety based on your geographic location. As I mentioned before, there are many different Elders that are native to distinct areas– make sure you choose the right one for your area.
The Elder is extremely simple to grow as it is adaptive and hardy. It is flexible in its demands, preferring moist soil but tolerating dry soil as well. It prefers full sun but is also happy with partial shade. Once adapted, Elder tends to spread quickly by forming colonies with root suckers. However, since it isn’t too demanding, it doesn’t compete much with the plants around it, making it very low-risk to become invasive. It is advised to make a point to prune, or trim, dead or weakened stems in early spring in order to maintain a healthy plant. Elders may take a few years to become productive, dedicating the first year to root establishment. Some folks recommend trimming off the flowers in spring or early summer to prevent fruit production so that the plant can put all of its energy into root growth.
Identification
When foraging or growing plants for food, it’s pertinent that you be completely certain about what you have. Here are some tips on how to identify an Elder so that you can enjoy its flowers and fruit safely.
Size: Elders tend to form thickets and can be anywhere from 6 to 13 feet (or 2-4m) tall and nearly just as wide.
Flowers & Fruit: Elders produce round clusters (called cymes) of hundreds of tiny, white, saucer-shaped flowers (usually 5-9” wide) that give way to clusters of dark purple to black, round berries that are about ¼ inch or 6mm in size each. The flowers have a sweet, fragrant smell.
Leaves: Leaves are pinnate, meaning they have a central stem with small leaves on either side and compound, meaning they have several distinct leaflets which are joined to a single stem. The leaflets are ovate, toothed, bright green, and can grow up to 7” long.
Body: The small branches have an interesting and very distinct feature: corky lenticels scattered along them. These look like small, reddish colored, irregular lumps all throughout the plant.
Possible Imposters
Potential look-alikes include Pokeweed, Devil’s Walkingstick, and Water Hemlock (as well as others in the wild carrot family such as Queen Anne’s Lace, Cow Parsnip, etc. as they tend to often get mistaken for one another). As a note, I don’t think you are at much risk of mistaking Elder for anything in the wild carrot family unless you’re only looking at the flowers and ignoring all other physical features of the plant.
Poke berries grow in an elongated cluster, not the umbrella-like shape of elderberries. They are poisonous when consumed, but the leaves can be eaten only after thorough processing (it doesn’t taste good though, from what I’ve heard!).
Pokeweed berries - Photo Credit: Curtis Young, OSU Extension - Van Wert County
Devil’s Walkingstick has unmistakable thorns protruding from its trunk, elderberry does not.
Water hemlock doesn’t bear fruit, so if there was any risk at all of mistaking it for elder, it would only be the flowers. Hemlock and other plants in the wild carrot family have white flowers in small clusters. However, hemlock flowers much more spaced out from one another than elderflowers. They are somewhat umbrella-shaped, but not as much as elder flowers. Additionally, the leaves of hemlock are very different from elderberry’s.
Most importantly, make sure you can confirm the descriptions of the leaves, flowers or fruit, and stems I detailed about Elder to confirm a positive identification. Essentially, elderberry’s flowers and fruit are quite distinct from its look-alikes if you pay close attention. It’s still important to be aware of the imposters. Be vigilant, foragers!
Elder’s Medicinal Uses
Elderberries have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years for tons of different ailments and preventative health care. The flowers and berries of the Elder are used for medicine. The stems and leaves contain toxins that are unsafe for human consumption, so steer clear of those (though these parts have been used medicinally throughout history, I cannot confirm the safety of using them).
The flavonoids in both elderflowers and elderberries are the basis of their medicinal uses. The most commonly known use for elderberries is that it helps to suppress cold and flu symptoms when consumed at the first sign of illness. The berry contains shikimic acid, which acts as an intermediary in the anti-flu pharmaceutical product Tamiflu. The plant contains both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that have been said to not only help with respiratory inflammation, but also soothes skin issues like psoriasis. It is also known to give a boost to the immune system thanks to its high levels of vitamins and polyphenols. Other medicinal uses of elderberry include soothing an upset stomach, use in salves for bruises, and use as a diuretic.
Here’s how you can make the best use of elderflowers and elderberries as a supporting herb for the body:
Flowers can be used in a tea with mint to help alleviate cold and flu symptoms (fyi: it’s also a mild laxative!). The flowers can be made into a tincture to be taken in small amounts internally by combining completely dried elderflowers with half water and half alcohol (or vegetable glycerine) in a clean glass jar. Leave the mixture to sit in a dark place for about 30 days before putting it to use. Flowers can also be used to make elderflower water, used for mixing into lotions, salves, or skin sprays to be used topically for irritated skin or sunburns. Elderflower water is simply filtered water infused with dried elderflowers.
Berries can be used for a vast array of recipes! Elderberries can be made into jams and jellies (best if combined with raspberries, blackberries or other fruit), pie, wine, and cordial. They can also be made into a tincture, or the most popular method of preparation: elderberry syrup. I’ll share a recipe for this later. Elderberries can even be used as an ingredient in a salve to soothe the skin.
Important Note: Raw, unripe elderberries, leaves, and stems contain toxic substances sambunigrin, lectin, and cyanic acid that can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I do not share this to scare you or dissuade you from working with elderberries, it’s just important to be aware. Luckily, cooking degrades these toxins, making the berry safe to consume. Many people claim that they safely consume raw elderberries in very small amounts with no ill side effects, and that this is preferred since cooking the berries degrades the flavonoids as well as the toxins, but it’s certainly safer to cook them first. Large quantities of the toxin may cause illness. Despite the flowers and berries being edible to humans after cooking (edible to wildlife even before cooking), all other parts of this bush contain toxic calcium oxalate crystals. Only harvest the flowers and fruit for consumption– and process the berries first.
Processing Elderberries: The berries can be boiled on the stove to cook out the toxins found in the raw berry. This process makes elderberries safe to consume. Simmering the berries for about 30 to 45 minutes over medium heat will make the berries completely safe to eat. It is not advised to consume large quantities of this powerful herb. If you have any medical conditions, please always consult with your doctor first, though.
Folklore: The Elder Mother, Queen of the Woods
The Elder tree has been a known medicine for thousands of years, so it is intertwined into folklore and stories of many cultures. It has been confirmed that Elder was cultivated in the Stone Age in Europe and it was used by many North American indigenous cultures as food, medicine, and instruments throughout time. This plant was detailed in books by Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder in Materia Medica and On the Materials of Medicine, respectively.
This particular “Materia Medica” is from Dioscorides in the 15th century, I just had to include it because I’m a bookmaker and I think it’s beautiful.
Ancient Europeans believed that to chop or burn the woods of the Elder tree was to literally release the devil himself, and was therefore deemed extremely disadvantageous. To make the mythology of the Elder even more adverse, it is believed that it was Elder wood that was used to crucify Jesus, as well as the tree from which Judas hanged himself in the bible. From this and the animistic beliefs of ancient times, the Elder became synonymous with the concepts of death and sorrow. However, later on in Europe, Elder was planted near a home’s entrance to ward off evil spirits. It was believed to be inhabited by spirits of the elders and was referred to as the “Elder Mother” or “Queen of the Woods,” possessing a protective quality. Though the mythology changed, cutting down an elder was still highly obscene, as it was seen as a massive disrespect to the elders within. For the same reason, wood of the Elder tree was never used as firewood.
Elderflowers became associated with rebirth and transformation due to their prolific ability to regrow new shoots after being cut down. The concept of renewal made the elder tree an important part of rituals and celebrations related to seasonal cycles, especially those occurring at the onset of spring. Elderflowers have even been used to decorate for weddings.
Recipe for Elderberry Syrup
At this point I do not have a tried and true recipe for elderberry syrup, so I’ve compiled a few for you to check out and decide which one you prefer. Experiment and enjoy!
This one from Mountain Rose Herbs is my favorite because it includes ginger and local honey, both immune-supporting elements: https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/elderberry-syrup-recipe
This recipe from Eating Well also uses ginger as well as apple cider vinegar: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/277571/homemade-elderberry-syrup/
I really like this recipe because it also includes a recipe for a decoction of only elderberries an water in case you want a sugarless option: https://www.herbcottage.com.au/blogs/grow-your-health/elderberry-syrup-for-antiviral-and-immunity-benefits
The elder is undoubtedly a delightful, versatile native plant. From its use as a whimsical musical instrument to its ability to alleviate cold and flu symptoms, the elderberry is a fascinating plant. It has an important role to play in native ecosystems as food and shelter for wildlife and to help support native pollinators– and it’s super simple to grow. Whether you’re foraging elderflowers or elderberries, growing them in your garden to nurture wildlife, or purchasing them to make recipes for you and/or your family, I hope you find something beneficial about this plant. Let me know what you liked (or didn’t like) about this plant profile. I hope to keep sharing with you all about plants and herbs that I love and that bring value to ecosystems– including the humans living in them.
Until next time,
Allyson
*This post was originally posted at foxhollowfarm.substack.com/p/plant-profile-elderberry on December 28, 2023.