✦ Elderberry ✦

✦ Elderberry ✦

Sambucus cerulean

Wild Blue Elderberry

Encountering Elderberry in the mountains here in Idaho has been such a treat. The first one I discovered was in the backyard of the house where we now reside, but its berries were still green so I didn’t know if it was a red or black/blue elderberry. I was quite familiar with the red variety, it being abundant in SE Alaska; but not so the black or blue one. That Elderberry is one of the best folk herbalists: ‘before a cold sets in’ medicines. Also good for the eyes and full of antioxidants & flavonoids, and helpful for inflammation.

The second plant I found was snuggled into Willows, Aspen, Red Twigged Dogwood and Hawthorn (such a lovely combination by the way!). Elders like to grow near water or in more dampish soil. Here in Idaho I find them in draws were Spring snow melt gathers. However, a good dose of sunshine is needed for good berry production, those growing under forest canopy fruit less. Edges of streams, spring runoff areas, and Maple forests are where I’ve noticed them growing now. They are locally abundant which is neat to see.

All of the plant is considered medicinal. However, some sources will claim varying degrees of toxicity. In short, the roots, bark and leaves are much stronger medicine and it’s good to do your research before using. The berries can be nibbled raw, but not too many or they can cause stomach upset. I’ve eaten maybe 15-40 at a time and felt fine. I’ve read many places that Red Elder berries are only to be used cooked—see Janice Schofield’s Discovering Wild Plants for more info there.

Mid-August thru September and into October seems to be the best harvest window here.

2 cups blue or black elderberries

2 cups water

1 cup honey

Add water and berries together in a saucepan, smoosh berries with a potato masher. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir occasionally for 30 minutes. Strain with cheesecloth or muslin.

Add one cup honey to strained mixture.

You could also use cane sugar to make a simple syrup but I prefer honey for its own medicinal benefits.

Completely mix honey and strained juice. Store in fridge for 6 months.

Other herbs such as rose hips, orange peel, ginger, cinnamon, thyme & rosemary could also be added to make an immune boosting, helpful cold remedy like the recipe below. This is one I’ve been making for years for our family and in workshops:

*Recipe by Emily Grace Willis of Archaic Joy

1/2 cup dried rose hips (or use 1 cup fresh)

1/2 cup dried elderberries (or use 1 cup fresh)

2 T. cinnamon chunks

1 T. dried orange peel

6 whole cloves

2 T. Licorice root

2 T. Hibiscus flowers (**not for use during pregnancy, optional)

1/2 T. dried ginger (or use 1-2 T. freshly grated)

1 T. dried Thyme (or use 3 T. fresh)

2 cups Water

Honey to taste (about 1/2 cup; this will help preserve it as well)

*1-5 t. Yarrow tincture (optional)

If using wild rosehips, after removing dried sepal, use a mortar and pestle, or a blender to gently open up whole rosehips (if using a blender, add a bit of the water). If using larger hips, cut open and remove seeds for best results.

Add all ingredients except for the honey and tincture to a glass or stainless-steel saucepan (I actually prefer a double boiler, so if heating directly, be sure check and stir often). Bring to a gentle boil, simmer 45 minutes to one hour. Strain through cheesecloth. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Add tincture/s. Pour into desired container/s.

If using only Rose hips and no Elderberries, double the quantity and vice versa. The first time I formulated this it was only using Rose hips. Then I tried dried Elderberries and that was nice too.

Dosage is ½-1 teaspoon for kids, 1 T. for adults once per day to help strengthen the immune system. Triple, or more, the dose per day if dealing with the beginnings of a cold/flu, or in the thick of it.

Store in the fridge, use within 6-9 months.

*Other tinctures, can be used as well; some examples are Elecampane, Pine Resin, Cottonwood Bud and Wild Cherry Bark tinctures. You can make this medicine with many variations tailored towards your individual needs. Hope you enjoy!

Mixing Elder blossoms (which bloom in June) with Yarrow can help bring on a sweat and reduce the length of a cold. Use fresh or dry for later use. Elderberry flowers infused into honey is a sweet helper during convalescence. Safe for children. Try infusing the berries into vinegar for an antioxidant and mineral-rich salad dressing, or to splash on steamed vegetables.

“In Denmark, lore described that if one stood under the elder tree on midsummer’s eve, one would behold the kind and queen of fairyland riding by with a retinue of elves, nymphs, dwarfs, and other fair folk mounted on horses and playing pipes made of elder stems. In Irish fairy tales, it is said the the sidhe- or elf-arrows were fashioned of elder and that the most potent witch’s wand was one formed from an elder bough…

Elder is considered the tree of transformation, guardian of the thirteenth month of the Celtic tree calendar. This month, which is three days long, contains both the end of the year, Samhain (Halloween) and the beginning of the New Year (All Soul’s Day)….This ancient goddess of many names who resides within the elder guards the doorway between the land of the living and the spirit realm of the ancestors… Celtic tree lore regards the elder as the tree of regeneration, representing, “death in life and life in death.” (Judith Berger, Herbal Rituals p.162-163)

This plant is really one worth getting to know. It’s also easily propagated and grown in the garden. It has grown very quickly in my front yard garden living fence and now produces many berries for my harvesting desires. One of my favorite plants of this region!

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