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            Sambucus-berries.jpg 

NAME: Elderberry

SPECIES / FAMILY: Sambucus / Adoxaceae

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): 

CONDITIONS: sun/shade
 

PARTS:

EDIBLE cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

TASTE

RAW/COOK

SEASON

All

  

 

 

 

Shoots

 

 

 

 

Leaves

        

Stalk/Stem

 

 

 

 

Buds

        

Flowers

grape

RAW/COOK

Summer

Fruits

grape

COOK

Aug-Sep

Pods

  

 

    

Seeds

 

 

 

 

Nuts

 

 

 

 

Roots

 

 

 

 

Bark

 

 

 

 

 

PORTION: small-medium

 

COMMENT: Fruit - flavour is not acceptable to many tastes, though when cooked it makes delicious jams, preserves, pies and so forth. It can be used fresh or dried, the dried fruit being less bitter. Also used to add flavour and colour to preserves, jams, pies, sauces, chutneys etc, often used to make wine. Flowers - raw or cooked, dried. The raw flowers are crisp and somewhat juicy, they have an aromatic smell and flavour and are delicious raw as a refreshing snack on a summers day, though look out for the insects. The flowers are used to add a muscatel flavour to stewed fruits, jellies and jams (especially gooseberry jam). They are often used to make a sparkling wine. A sweet tea is made from the dried flowers. The leaves are used to impart a green colouring to oils and fats.(1)

 

CAUTION: The leaves and stems are poisonous. The fruit of many species (although no records have been seen for this species) has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Any toxin the fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxicity and is destroyed when the fruit is cooked.(1)

 

NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: 

·        Vitamin A & C, calcium, iron, sterols, and flavonoids.(4) Elderberries are nutritious, are packed with antioxidants, and have more Vitamin C than oranges or tomatoes. They also have Vitamin A, calcium, thiamine, niacin, twice the calories of cranberries and three times the protein of blueberries.(2)

·        Antiinflammatory;  Aperient;  Diaphoretic;  Diuretic;  Emetic;  Emollient;  Expectorant;  Galactogogue;  Haemostatic;  Laxative;  Ophthalmic;  Purgative;  Salve;  Stimulant. (1)

·        https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-434/elderberry  

·        https://draxe.com/elderberry  

 

LOOK-A-LIKES:  

 

POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES:  Water hemlock - http://www.eattheweeds.com/ufos-2/look-alikes/elderberry-or-water-hemlock or Devil’s Walking Stick (berries)

 

OTHER USES:  Compost;  Cosmetic;  Dye;  Fungicide;  Hedge;  Hedge;  Insecticide;  Litmus;  Microscope;  Musical;  Pioneer;  Pipes;  Repellent;  Wood.(1)

 

SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):

  1. https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Sambucus+nigra & related https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Sambucus+canadensis & https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Sambucus+racemosa
  2. http://www.eattheweeds.com/elderberries-red-white-and-blue
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus
  4. http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/elderberry.html  (good photos)
  5. http://www.ediblewildfood.com/elderberry.aspx (good photos)
  6. https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/elderberry-uses-zmaz81mjzraw
  7. https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/elderberry-recipes-zmaz73jazraw
  8. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-elderberry-wine-5199231
  9. https://honest-food.net/elderberry-wine-recipe
  10. https://winemakermag.com/article/841-elderberry-wine
  11. https://commonsensehome.com/how-to-make-elderberry-wine