Wild Elderberries Are Good For You

You may have noticed the elderberries blooming this last few weeks.  They like to sprout in fence rows - probably because birds sit on the fences



Elderberies in bloom. From All About Thyme.com
 

eating the berries and "depositing" the seeds.  They are a very pretty sweet, scented tall bush with  white flowers that produce little dark purple juicy berries. The flowers and the berries are both used for wine, jams etc.

The International Herb Society has proclaimed the Elder or Elderberry to be the Herb of the Year for 2013.  The honor was given to the Elderberry this year for its use as a medicinal herb.  Elder has always had some known medicinal value, but apparently the scientific community is finding many new good uses for the plant.  Elderberry is one of those things in nature that we think of as a wild flower but in fact its really good for us!

The National Gardening Association at http://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=july_elderberry has this to say:

Elderberries are one of the easiest and most versatile shrubs to grow in your edible landscape. These Central European and North American natives are often found growing wild along roadsides, forest edges, and abandoned fields.
The prize for growing elderberries is the fragrant, edible flowers and the delicious fruits. The dark purple berries contain vitamins A and B, and more vitamin C than oranges. They are also high in cancer-fighting antioxidants. In fact, elderberry fruits have historically been used to treat many ailments, such as respiratory problems, colds, and flus. Plus, they are tasty when used in juices, jellies, jams, teas, pies, and wine. You can use the umbrella-shaped, elderberry blossoms for making a delicious fritters or even champagne (see recipe in this issue). And if you don't want to eat the berries, the birds certainly will love them. 

Not only do elderberries produce attractive 8- to 10-inch-diameter white flowers and clusters of small, dark purple fruits, there are newer varieties on the market that have colorful leaves, too. These varieties of elderberry were bred for the ornamental characteristics, but still produce useful flowers and fruits. They make great shrubs for a foundation planting or in a mixed perennial flower border.

  'Black Beauty' elderberry combines the easy-to-grow qualities of wild elderberries with handsome black foliage and attractive pink flowers.