Elder grows worldwide throughout
temperate climates. Its common name is probably
derived from the Anglo Saxon Ellaern or Aeld,
which means fire or kindle because the hollow
stems were once used for getting fires going.
We know it as American elder and sweet elder,
those are common names for S. candaensis, which
is often cultivated for it’s edible purple black
berries.* The generic name Sambucus,
dates from ancient Greek time and may originally
have referred to sambuke a kind of harp made of
elderwood. Pipes were made from its branches,
too, possible the original Pan pipes/flute.
FOLKLORE
- People thought that if you put
it on the fire you would see the devil. They
believed it unlucky to make cradle rockers out
of it, that the spirit of the tree might harm
the child. Again, farmers were unwilling to use
an elder switch to drive cattle and one folktale
had it that elder would only grow where blood
had been shed. Planting outside the back door
was a sure way of protecting against evil, black
magic, and keeping witches out of the house,
which would never be struck by lightning. It
was though that Christ’s cross was made of
elderwood.
Flattened heads of fragrant
flowers star shaped flowers, creamy-white from
early to mid summer. A shrub or small tree
growing 5 to 12 feet in damp areas, elderberry
can be spotted throughout the South in
springtime with its dense white umbel-like
flowers. It grows in rich soil along streams,
fencerows and low places in Oklahoma, Arkansas,
Texas, Louisiana, eastward to Florida and
Georgia, and northward to Nova Scotia. Berries
are dark purple leaves have long, sharply
toothed and bright green leaflets. Warning all
parts of the flesh plant o f Sambuscus
canadensis can poison. Children have been
poisoned by chewing or sucking the bark. The
berries are safe only after being cooked. As
are the seeds inside the berries always cook the
berries first.
Dwarf Elder is the most
poisonous. This grows in small clusters in
Easter and Central states and in Europe.
Nowadays dwarf elder is rarely used. The
elder is also a pedigree medicinal plant, but
caution must be exercised, as several varieties
have poisonous properties. Many cultivars have
been developed, adding to the selection of
flower colors and sizes as well as improving the
fruit.
Elder tolerates most soils. It
prefers sun, but does well in light shade. It
grows rapidly and self sows freely. Cut back in
late autumn.
Elderflower water whitens and
softens the skin, removes freckles.
