Location of Elder

There are several species of the Sambucus genes. The three blue fruited ones that inhabit the west are Sambucus cerulea also known as Sambucus glauca, Sambucus canadensis, and Sambucus mexicana. These are all used in the same ways and are similar in appearance. There is also a red fruited species, Sambucus racemosa, that is not used for medicine. The strained berry pulp of this tree is used for jellies. Some of the common names are Black Elder, Rob Elder, Sweet Elder, Blue Elder, Common Elder, Elderberry, and Stinking Elder. Sambucus nigra and Sambucus ebulus common name, Dwarf Elder, are the species that grow in Europe and they are used in much the same way as our species. Sambucus is in the Honeysuckle family, Caprifoliacea, in Latin.

Elder is a large, beautiful shrub or small tree usually less than twenty-five foot tall. The stems are straight, jointed and hollow except for a small amount of whitish pith that becomes less as the branches grow. They grow in thick clumps and the bark is rough and grayish-brown.

The leaves are five to nine inches long and are pinnately divided with five to eleven serrated leaflets each with a pointed tip. The lower leaflets are often lobed. Elder can be confused with Ash which has similar compound leaves. Some Ash have alternate leaves while Elder, even the branches, are always paired. The seeds of Ash are winged where as the Elder grows dark blue berries.

Elder blooms from April to June and its flowers grow in dense, flat topped, umbel cluster of small whitish-cream colored blooms. These clusters can be as wide as eight inches across. Some people find their aroma distasteful while others find it quite pleasant. They have a very muscatel odor. The flowers turn into dark blue to purplish berries in mid to late summer and as they mature the limbs if the trees literally droop from the weight of the berries. The trees are very beautiful at this time of the year.

Elder is a hardy plant and not to particular about where it grows but it does really well in rich, moist soils with some shade. It grows along road banks, in forest clearings, valley bottoms, gullies, open dry slopes, and it grows from sea level to timberline which is about 10,000 feet. One species or another grow from the East Coast to California, north into Canada and Alaska and south past the border. Elder pretty much makes it's home across the North American continent and across Europe.

The berries are edible when cooked or dried. The berries can be dried on a tarp in the sun or in a dehydrator. They can be reconstituted with water and used in all kinds of dishes like muffins, pancakes, pies, trail mixes, hot cereal, etc. Cooked and strained berries make wonderful jellies and tasty juice to quench the thirst. You can use them alone or mix with other kinds of juices to make a delightful mixed juice. The blooms are edible ad can be dipped in batter and deep fried for a delicious Elder fritter.

When harvesting the flowers or berries, pick whole clusters. The berries facing the East and West where the sun has shone directly on them yield the sweeter, less bitter tasting fruits. The whole clusters dry better and the fruit or blooms can be removed from the stems afterwards. Leaves, bark, and roots are not edible but can be dried to use in medicinal remedies of one knows how to use them. They can mildew easily if bundled, so to avoid this, dry whole branches singly and remove leaves and bark afterwards.

Elder can be propagated by cuttings of bare shoots in autumn, digging up and replanting sucker roots in the spring or autumn, and by planting seeds in the spring. If Elder is growing in an area where there is a need to keep it trimmed to a certain size, prune them in the late autumn or early spring before any new growth appears.