Respect Your Elderberries

While many herbs have strong medicinal properties and accompanying folklore, the elderberry has such power that it is heralded as “Queen of the Herbs” and is known as protector of the garden, often found planted at the edge of gardens across Europe. Long prized for its medicinal properties, there are many myths tied to the elderberry plant, with tales about fairies, witches and elves, and even the Hans Christian Anderson story “The Little Elder Tree Mother,” all associated with this powerful plant. Small but mighty, the elderberry packs a nutritional and medicinal punch, and certainly seems to earn the respect received throughout history.

The elderberry seems to be quite ubiquitous, with several varieties found all over the world, with the most common variety used medicinally being Sambucus nigra. The subspecies canadensis is native to North America and what we will typically find growing wild in our region. The elderberry plant is a medium-sized, woody shrub found across the southwest Wisconsin countryside. In late spring to early summer, the plant blossoms with tiny, white flowers. These delicate and lacy elderflowers emit a beautiful fragrance, and have a sweet, floral flavor. Elderflowers are followed by tiny, dark purple elderberries when they ripen in late summer, hanging in gorgeous, heavy clusters.

While elderberry is quite common in the wild, it can also be cultivated and planted in the garden. If you are looking to forage for elderflowers or elderberries, they can be fairly easy to find in rural areas; the edges of wooded areas, moist areas near rivers and ponds, as well as along roadsides (although I recommend against harvesting from the roadsides to ensure they have not been sprayed with chemicals) are all frequently inhabited by the elderberry plant. The flowers can be harvested once they open and while they are still fresh-looking; they can be used fresh or dried for long-term storage. For the berries, harvest when ripe in mid- to late summer, when they become juicy, round and dark purple. It is generally recommended to avoid varieties with red berries, so only consume those with purple-black berries. Remove as much of the small, fine stems as possible before using, as the stems and leaves are considered toxic to humans; you can use the berries fresh or process through drying or freezing for long-term storage. As with all foraging, always start with proper plant identification by researching the plant thoroughly before harvesting or consuming elderberries. Find good foraging resources, such as the books of Samuel Thayer, an expert in this field. You could also take a wildcrafting course, such as those taught through the Driftless Folk School, or tag along with a friend who knows their plant ID well for more hands-on learning. And of course, always practice responsible, ethical foraging by only taking what you need and not overharvesting.

As is the case with many herbs (and traditional foods and other ancestral practices), research is learning what has already long been known about the elderberry. The medicinal properties of elderberries make them an ideal part of natural health regimens for coughs and colds, flu and fevers. Elderberry extract is commonly found in cold and flu remedies, as it is a potent antiviral and antibacterial herb, and it supports a healthy immune system. There is a large amount of research on its effectiveness against colds, flu, SARS and other viral illnesses, especially respiratory infections, with strong evidence that elderberry extract has the potential to shorten the severity and duration of infections. Besides respiratory illnesses, there is also evidence of effectiveness against other viruses, including shingles and herpes, and reducing fevers. Elderberry is commonly paired with other herbs like echinacea, cinnamon and ginger, which work together to support the body during illness. Elderberry's effectiveness comes, in part, due to the high antioxidant content, including polyphenols, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. It is also rich in vitamin C along with other vitamins and minerals, adding nutrients to the diet as well. Elderflowers also have medicinal properties, including immune and allergy support. They are diuretic and diaphoretic (induces sweating), making them useful in treating fevers and other conditions, and can support the digestive and nervous system.

Elderberries are astringent, slightly sour and a touch bitter, with a mild sweetness. Recipes, both medicinal and culinary, typically add a sweetener like honey or maple syrup to enhance the flavor and make elderberry concoctions more palatable. Always cook fresh berries before using, as they can cause stomach upset if consumed raw. Dried berries can be used to make tinctures, teas, syrups, oxymels like fire cider and other herbal remedies that extract the medicinal properties of the ber ries. These can also be added to flavor homebrewed kombucha or water kefir, or even as a super-nutrition addition to jams or pie fillings. Fresh elderberries can be juiced and made into tinctures, wine or preserved through canning for later use. Fresh or dried berries can be cooked into oatmeal, homemade gelatin, muffins or other baked goods as well. El derflowers can be used fresh or dried, depending on the recipe, and can be found in oxymels, teas, tinctures, vinegar or honey infusions, and even beer and liqueurs—St. Germain is a popular elderflower liqueur. The flowers have a lovely flavor and make a sweet, floral addition to herbal recipes of all types. If you aren’t the DIY type, there are plenty of local herbalists making beautiful remedies with both elderberries and elderflowers that you could give a try, such as Four Elements out of North Freedom, Wisconsin.

From blossom to berry, the elderberry plant offers so much medic inal potential and is an important part of our local food landscape. Its nutritional power deserves respect and should be strongly considered as part of your herbal medicine cabinet. Make this the year you plant an elder at the edge of your garden, or harvest elderberries in the wild, and see what protection this plant may have to offer you!