Elder

Sambucus nigra

Also: Elderberry, Elderflower, Black elder, Sambucus canadensis

CoolingDryingRelaxing

Berries for the flu, flowers for the fever.

A fast-growing shrub with flat sprays of cream flowers in early summer and drooping clusters of dark berries by late summer. The berries help the body shut down viral infections early; the flowers relax the skin's surface so a fever can sweat itself out.

Energetics: Cooling, drying, relaxing
Taste: Sweet, sour, slightly astringent
Family: Adoxaceae (moschatel family)
Parts used: Flowers and ripe berries, cooked

Medicinal uses 7

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Traditional useLab and mechanism studiesClinical studies

Colds & fluTLC
Shortens colds and flu when started at the first sign; compounds in the berries keep viruses from entering cells.
FeverTLC
Elderflower opens the pores and lets the heat of a fever release.
Sinus congestionTLC
The flowers drain stuck fluid from the sinuses.
Seasonal allergiesTLC
Elderflower calms seasonal allergies, a gentle choice for people who react to chamomile.
Anxiety & stressTLC
Elderflower lets hot, pent-up emotion like anger and frustration release, and lifts a heavy mood.
Swollen glandsTLC
Helps the lymph clear the debris left behind after a cold.
Frequent colds & low immunityTLC
A spoonful of elderberry syrup a day through cold season is a long folk habit across Europe.

Preparations

Cooked berry syrup, hot flower tea for fevers, elixirs and cordials.

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Cautions

Cook the berries. Raw or unripe berries, leaves, stems, and bark cause nausea and vomiting.
Use blue or black elders only; red-berried elder is more toxic.
Honey syrups are not for babies under one year.
Large amounts of fresh berries act as a purgative.

Medication interactions

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Pregnancy & breastfeeding

PregnancyCooked berries and flowers

Cooked syrups and elderflower tea are widely used for colds in pregnancy. Avoid raw plant parts, and watch the sugar in commercial cordials if blood sugar is a concern.

BreastfeedingCooked preparations

Cooked syrup and flower tea are generally considered compatible with nursing.

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Folklore

In Danish and English tradition a spirit called the Elder Mother, Hylde-Moer, lives in the tree, and a woodcutter asked her leave before taking a branch, promising her some of his own wood when he became a tree himself. Furniture made from elder without her blessing was said to carry her along with it. Hollow elder stems made whistles and pea shooters, and the genus name may come from the sambuca, a Greek instrument. Charlemagne is said to have ordered elder planted on his estates as a living medicine cabinet.

How to grow

A fast, forgiving shrub for moist, rich soil in sun or part shade. Hardwood cuttings pushed into the ground in winter root readily. Leave plenty of flowers on the bush, or there will be no berries.

In the wild

Hedgerows, woodland edges, riverbanks, and disturbed ground. Black elder is native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa; American elder grows across eastern and central North America, and blue elder across the West.

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