“It has been said, with some truth, that our
English Summer is not here until the Elder is fully in flower,
and that it ends when the berries are ripe”
— Maude Grieves in her book, A Modern Herbal, originally published in 1931 (1).
By Stephanie Selz, Clinical Herbalist
Names
Black Elder, Common Elder, Pipe Tree, Bore Tree, Hylder (Fourteenth Century), Hylantree, Eldrum (Anglo-Saxon), Ellhorn (Low-Saxon), Hollunder (German) (1).
Taxonomy
European Elder, Sambucus nigra, hails from Europe, while Sambucus canadensis is our North American Elder species. Elder belongs to the Adoxaceae family (2).
Constituents
Polyphenols (Flavonoids (anthocyanins, rutin, etc.)), Organic Acids (citric & malic acids), sugars, vitamins (C & B-Complex), Sambucine, Viburnic Acid, Sambunigrin, Alkaloids, Polyphenols, Cyanogenic Glycosides (in seeds, twigs, bark, leaves).
Parts used
Flowers and ripe Berries. CAUTION: Berries must be cooked before use. Raw berries contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can cause nausea & vomiting if consumed raw. All other plant parts beside berries and flowers are not recommended for internal consumption, and may cause stomach irritation, nausea, and vomiting. Bark and leaves have been used historically (both externally and internally) for emetic & purgative action for “dropsy” (old world word for “edema”)- not recommended (1).
Description
The genus Sambucus belongs to over thirty species of deciduous shrubs/small trees ranging all over the world. In Western herbal medicine, we are most familiar with Sambucus nigra, native to Europe, and Sambucus canadensis, native to North America.
Elder acts more like a shrub in colder climates and a tree in warmer climates. In Colorado, we have Elder trees on the front range, reaching up to around 15 feet high, whereas in the mountains, we see Elder growing wild (often Red Elder, Sambucus racemosa) more as a shrub, reaching more around 5-6 feet tall. Being a deciduous tree, Elder’s more permanent stems are covered in a rough grey bark, and its small branches and leaf stalks are smooth, with oppositely arranged, smooth, green leaves (2).
Elder blooms between May and July, with clusters of small white flowers arranged like an umbel, where all of the tiny star-shaped flowers lay side by side in a broad, flat plain. In the late summer to early fall, our medicinal species of elderflowers ripen into elderberries, which are juicy and black, and are connected to the plant on bright pink/red stems.
Historical Context
Elder has been regarded as a medicinal and spiritual plant for centuries. Maude Grieves writes, “In earlier days, the Elder Tree was supposed to ward off evil influence and give protection from witches, a popular belief held in widely-distant countries” (1).
The Elder plant has been used as a medicine and food recipes for centuries. Maude Grieves writes, “The berries make an excellent home-made wine and winter cordial, which improves with age, and taken hot with sugar, just before going to bed, is an old-fashioned and well-established cure for a cold” (1). Elderberries were used to make wine, jam, pies, ketchup, chutney, and Elder flowers were used to make vinegar, ales, pickles (using green flower buds), and more (1).
Herbal Actions
Elderberry is immunomodulant, helping to stimulate or suppress immune activity depending on the situation at hand.
Elderberry acts as an antiviral, directly inhibiting the replication of certain flu viruses in our body. Influenza (flu) virions are coated with tiny spikes bearing an enzyme called neuraminidase. This enzyme allows the virions to penetrate host cell membranes. According to several in vitro trials, constituents in Elderberry juice inactivate the neuraminidase enzyme within 24-48 hours, inhibiting the spread of the virus! (3).
Elderberry has diaphoretic action, helping to reduce a fever by opening up our pores and stimulating sweating.
Elderberry also has expectorant action, helping to clear our lungs and airways by loosening and moving stuck mucus and phlegm.
Elderberry is antioxidant, helping to reduce cellular damage by reducing free radicals and supporting our immune response.
Medicinal Uses
Elderberry syrup and tea have been used for centuries as a cold and flu remedy. Not only are they delicious (see our recipes for Elderberry syrup) but their antiviral, diaphoretic, expectorant, and antioxidant action make them a perfect ally to help reduce the intensity and duration of colds and flus. Elderberry is often combined with Echinacea root for this purpose, as echinacea is an effective alterative, helping to clear out metabolic debris that causes inflammation when our immune system is working in overdrive to clear out an infection. Maude Grieves writes,
“Elder berry wine has a curative power of established repute as a remedy, taken hot, at night, for promoting perspiration in the early stages of severe catarrh, accompanied by shivering, sore throat, etc. Like elder flower tea, it is one of the best preventatives known against the advance of influenza in the effects of a chill. A little cinnamon may be added. It also has a reputation as an excellent remedy for asthma…. Elderberries furnish Viburnic acid, which induces perspiration, and is especially useful in cases of bronchitis and similar troubles… and is demulcent to the chest” (Grieves).
Being rich in Vitamin C & Flavonoids, Elderberry is also a wonderful ally for the cardiovascular system, helping to support the form and function of our vasculature.
Elderberry is also said to be helpful in cases of minor constipation and inflammations of the genitourinary tract (4).
Preparations
For a decoction, add 1-2 TBSP of elderberries to 2 cups of water in a pot, and bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until liquid has reduced by around half. Strain and drink with honey.
Elderberry goes wonderfully with warming, aromatic herbs such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, etc.
Cautions
Raw berries and fresh berry products can cause gastrointestinal irritation (nausea & vomiting). Elderberries should be heated to a simmer, ideally for at least 15 minutes before taken internally.
Other Uses
Given the rich, dark color of elderberries, they have also been used as a coloring agent, not only imparting their dark color to teas and syrups, but also to hair and fabrics. Maude Grieves writes:
“The berries dye blue and purple, the juice yielding with alum, violet; with alum and salt, a lilac colour…The Romans made use of Elderberry juice as a hair dye, and Culpepper tells us that “the hair of the head washed with the berries boiled in wine is made black” (1).
Resources
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Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs & Trees with all their Modern Scientific Uses. Volume 1. London: J. Cape.
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Thompson, K. (n.d.). Elder (Sambucus spp.) [Monograph]. HerbRally. Retrieved from HerbRally
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Swaminathan, K., Dyason, J. C., Maggioni, A., von Itzstein, M., & Downard, K. M. (2013). Binding of a natural anthocyanin inhibitor to influenza neuraminidase by mass spectrometry. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 405(20), 6563–6572. PubMed. Retrieved from PubMed
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Skenderi, G. (2003). Herbal Vade Mecum: 800 Herbs, Spices, Essential Oils, Lipids, etc.—Constituents, Properties, Uses, and Caution. Rutherford, NJ: Herbacy Press. Herb Pharm