Elder (Sambucus nigra L.)

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Elder, or Sambucus, is a genus comprising several species (according to this source, 11 are accepted species names) of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. The one that is most commonly used in herbal medicine is Sambucus nigra, also known as Common elderberry, European elderberry, or simply Elder. It is a relatively small tree (for tree standards), reaching a height of about 6 m. To me, elder is a sign of late spring, as here in Germany it flowers in late May and early June; both the beautiful creamy white flower clusters (called "umbels" in Botanical English, I learned) and their fantastic smell make the elder tree easy to recognize. Later in the year, the flowers turn into green berries, which in late August turn deep purple: quoting Mrs. M. Grieve's "A Modern Herbal" (and replacing English with German), " [i]t has been said, with some truth, that our English summer is not here until the Elder is fully in flower, and that it ends when the berries are ripe."  Both the flowers and the (ripe) berries have medicinal and culinary uses, as I will explain below. 

The elder tree is the subject of a large number of legends and superstitions, many of which attribute it magical powers. Many of the European legends are described in Mrs. Grieve's very extensive and detailed entry on elder, but I'll just mention one that I found particularly fascinating: the Danish Hylde Moer, or Elder Tree Mother. I read about her in a few articles about the tree, and I also learned that she is the subject of a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. This made me extremely happy: next to plants and nature, fairy tales are among my favorite things in the world. I especially loved the story because the boy in it grows to be a Danish sailor who sails "to the warm countries where the coffee beans grow". But going back to the Elder Mother, she is a lady who lives in the Elder tree and watches over it; and although Andersen's Elder Mother is a sweet old lady who represents Memory and tells lovely stories, other versions describe her as less friendly and more witch-like, especially if her tree gets cut...

I also almost forgot the Elder Wand from Harry Potter: the most powerful, unbeatable magic wand.

On the other side of the Atlantic, American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is very similar to S. nigra in appearance and uses (sometimes they are referred to as a single species). It is also of great importance for North American Indians, who had numerous medicinal and ceremonial uses for leaves, flowers, and wood (some are mentioned in The Herb Society of America's Essential Guide to Elderberry, available here). Earlier this year, I was also surprised to see an elder tree in a mountainous zone of my native Costa Rica. I had never seen the tree there before; but I have to admit that I'd never looked for it either, and wasn't able to recognize it before. I read that Sambucus mexicana, which may or may not be a subspecies of S. canadensis, is common in the tropics, especially at altitudes above 900 m. 

A close-up of the elder flowers I found in Costa Rica.

Both the flowers and the berries of the elder tree are recognized for their medicinal properties. They are used in teas, syrups, and other preparations to treat the symptoms of colds and flu. The berries are also rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. In earlier times, the leaves, bark, and even the roots were also used medicinally, but they have fallen out of use: they are mildly toxic, so it is not recommended to consume them. For the same reason, it is also not advised to consume the berries if they are not ripe (here is an account of what happened to a group of people who decided to test this by drinking unripe juice - in short, they all got bad nausea).

Freshly picked elder flowers.

Last May I picked elder flowers for the second spring in a row. It's a pleasure to carry a basket of these fragrant and beautiful flowers! You are supposed to pick them when they are fully open, and on a dry day, as rain washes away the pollen - which is what gives the flowers their taste and smell. For the same reason, it's better not to wash the flowers before using them, but rather to shake them gently to get rid of bugs. They will get boiled anyway! I soak them in water for a few hours, and afterwards use them to make either syrup of jelly. For the syrup, I boiled the water and flowers with sugar, added some lemons (cut up in pieces), let it all sit in a large closed jar for a couple of days, and then strained it and boiled it again for a few minutes. The syrup is delicious mixed with cold sparkling water.

Last year I prepared jelly with only the elder flower water. The taste was ok, but the consistency wasn't so good - it was too liquid. I guess my pectin test was faulty...  This year I mixed the elder flower water with strawberries to make elder-strawberry jam. The result was much better: a great combination of two German late spring classics.

I also collected the berries for the first time in August this year.  I mixed them with some blackberries (which were also in season) and made jelly, and also a syrup. They are both delicious, but I'm not sure if I will make them again from scratch, as it is a very time-consuming process: you need to pick the berries carefully, and sort out by hand those that are not ripe enough, all while getting stains in your hands and clothes in the process. Nevertheless, the result was really good. We love the syrup mixed with sparkling water. 

Homemade elderberry juice.