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Elderberry

(Sambucus canadensis )

You might find it called American Elder, but most folks know it by Elderberry.

pronounce it sam - BEW - kus

The Audubon Guidebook mentions that the name "sambucus" comes from the Greek sambuce, an ancient musical instrument, and refers to the soft pith, easily removed from the twigs and used to make flutes and whistles.

This is a native plant. Our plants can be found in the north-east corner of the garden, at the bottom of the slope.

The Elderberry has a huge range. It grows from Nova Scotia west to Manitoba then south to Texas over to Florida.

Birds appreciate the large number of berries on the shrub in September...if people haven't gathered them! It is an easy fruit to gather and when cooked into jelly or made into wine is delicious. Raw berries have a rank taste and smell, but that goes away with cooking!

Elderberries have more Vitamin C than citrus fruit or tomatos...they are good and good for you. For many recipes and advice on cooking see Stalking the Wild Asparagus.

The flowers or just the petals are good in fritters...and the entire umbel can be batter dipped and deep fried, a sort of tempura.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All parts of the elder are have been used for longer than we can know. Native Americans used it and the Colonists used it readily, having been accustomed to the European Elderberry, a plant with ancient documentation of its use.

Drawing heavily on the Rodale Herb Book I write the following:

All parts of the elder are useful: the flowers, berries, leaves, bark and root. The berries are prized for making wine, pies and jellies. Elderflower fritters can be made from either fresh or dried flowers. A delightful tea is made from the dried blossoms, and it is helpful for colds and to promote sleep. Elder has been used for medicinal purposes, in skin lotion, facials and packs, and as an antiseptic wash for skin disease.

Elder was widely used by the American Indian, who applied the bark as an antidotal poultice to painful swellings and inflammations. Depending on the quantity of a bark in the infusion, if drunk it would act as a diuretic, a purgative or an emetic. (If you know what those words mean you will also know enough not to drink any bark tea unless your doctor prescribes it!)

Indians called the elder the "tree of music" and made flutes from branches cut in the spring and dried with the leaves on. Large shoots were used for arrow shafts. (Is this true? Any archery historians out there? E.C.)

Remember to prune in late autumn or early spring before growth resumes.

Study pointers:

• 5th graders and possibly 4th, think of another plant that Mrs. Clark or Mr. Sanchez introduced to you where the easily hollowed pithy center was an asset. What was it used for? Do you remember its name?
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