Habitat
Type: woods, scrub, hedges
Distribution: throughout northern hemisphere

General
Growth type: tree
Cycle: deciduous
Height: up to 10 meters
Other:

Leaf
Shape: pinnate
Arrangement: usually five pair of leaflets
Edge: finely toothed

Trunk
Texture: deep fissures, corky

Flower
Diameter: 5mm
Petals/sepals: 5, joined at base
Arrangement: umbel-like
When: May to August
Other: fragrant
Colour:

Fruit
Shape: round
Colour: black
Size: 6mm
Other: ready when berries are black and bunch turns down

The leaves, bark and seeds contain or produce hydrogen cyanide in contact with water. Hydrogen cyanide, also known as Prussic acid, may be safe in very small quantities. May be driven off by heat. Very bitter with smell of almonds.

It is best to remove seeds from the berries or avoid chewing them. Unbroken seeds are more likely to pass through the system undigested.

Unripe berries are poisonous.

April to October
all year
May to August
August to October - best from August to September

Parts with black and white icons are for non-culinary use

Flavour
Rating and Description:
aromatic
bland

How to Consume
raw
raw, syrup

Nutrition
Rutin
Vitamin A, B, C, antioxidant anthocyanin

Used as ...
flavouring, beverage, fritters, tea
food, beverage, syrup

For more information and recipes visit the Elder page on judyofthewoods.net via the links in the pop-up browser (requires internet connection).

Action:
vulnerary
diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, galactagogue, pectoral
anti-rheumatic, diuretic, expectorant, purgative

May treat:
(external) - juice: inflamed eyes; ointment: bruises, sprains, chilblains, wounds
chest complaints, infusion for eyewash (conjunctivitis), chilblains; inhalation: laryngitis, hoarseness; headaches; toothache
fever, coughs and colds

Recipe
To make elderberry syrup:
5 parts crushed berries
1 part sugar
Simmer to evaporate to the thickness of honey
Dose:
Adult: 1-2 table spoons
Child: 1-2 tea spoons

insecticide, fungicide, insect repellent, green dye (with alum)
bark: dye; trunk: timber (mature wood is hard, branches contain pith which can be hollowed out to form tubes)
blue/purple dye; sap: "litmus" test - green in alkaline and red in acid solutions

Collection
in sunny weather, after due has dried off

Drying
dry quickly in shade
dry like raisins but beware of seeds

Plant parts:
leaf
stem or trunk
sap
root, bulb, tuber and other below ground parts
flower
fruit
seed

Parts with black and white icons in the availability section are for non-culinary use

Use:
culinary use
medicinal use
household use

Other:
caution

General Glossary

• pinnate: with series of leaflets on each side of central stalk
• umbel: flower cluster with stalks joined in centre to form flat or curved surface; umbrella-like

Glossary of Medicinal Terms and Nutritive Substances

• anthocyanin: antioxidant, mostly in skin of dark blue fruit or red leaves; improves night vision, circulation, memory
• anti-rheumatic: treats rheumatism
• diaphoretic: promotes perspiration, aids the skin in elimination of toxins
• diuretic: increases secretion and elimination of urine
• expectorant: removes excess amount of mucus from respiratory system (see also decongestant)
• febrifuge: reduces fever; use only for dangerously high temperature; a raised temperature is the body's way of burning up the pathogen
• galactagogue: stimulates the production of breast milk or increases milk flow
• pectoral: treats chest and lung complaints
• purgative: produces evacuation of the bowels (more severe than aperients or laxatives)
• rutin: antioxidant; strengthens capillaries; may protect against cancer and heart disease
• vulnerary: promotes healing of wounds (applied externally)