Elderberry by Wanderer MoonChild

Botanical Basics

1. Common Name(s): Elderberry, European Elder, Black Elder
2. Folk Name(s): Elder, Pipe Tree, Bore Tree, Lady Elder, Tree of Doom, Hollerbusch
3. Scientific/Latin Name: Sambucus nigra (European Elder); Sambucus canadensis (American Elder)
4. Family: Adoxaceae (formerly Caprifoliaceae)
5. Plant Type: Deciduous shrub or small tree
6. Botanical Description: Elderberry grows 10–30 ft tall with multiple stems, gray-brown bark, and pithy young twigs. Leaves are pinnate with serrated margins, opposite in pairs. Creamy white flowers form broad clusters (corymbs), followed by small, dark purple-black berries.
7. Growing Zones/Climate: USDA Zones 3–9; prefers temperate climates
8. Best Zones for Growth: Widely adaptable, thriving in moist, fertile soils in zones 4–8
9. Habitat & Range: Native to Europe, North America, and parts of Asia; grows in hedgerows, forest edges, streambanks, and moist meadows

Cultivation & Harvest

1. Soil & Sun Requirements: Prefers moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter; full sun to partial shade
2. Propagation: Easily grown from cuttings, suckers, or seeds (though seeds require stratification)
3. Companion Planting: Pairs well with mint, lemon balm, comfrey, and yarrow; often grown near orchards as a pollinator attractant
4. Harvesting Guidelines: Flowers harvested in late spring/early summer; berries in late summer to early autumn when fully ripe (dark purple/black)
5. Drying/Preservation: Flowers can be air-dried in shade; berries may be dried, frozen, or processed into syrups, tinctures, jams, and wines

Traditional & Historical Use

1. Cultural Significance: Revered in European folklore as sacred to the Elder Mother spirit; often planted near homes for protection
2. Traditional Medicine: Long used for fevers, colds, influenza, and respiratory infections; flowers used as diaphoretics and anti-inflammatories
3. Symbolism: Associated with protection, transformation, and boundaries between worlds

Medicinal & Practical Properties

1. Active Constituents: Flavonoids (including quercetin and rutin), anthocyanins, vitamin C, tannins, and volatile oils
2. Medicinal Uses: Immune support, cold and flu remedy, antioxidant, mild laxative, diuretic, anti-inflammatory
3. Preparation Methods: Syrups, teas, tinctures, wines, lozenges, infused honeys
4. Dosage & Guidelines: Standard syrup dosage is 1–2 tsp daily for prevention; up to 1 Tbsp every few hours when ill (varies by preparation)
5. Safety/Precautions: Raw berries, seeds, and other plant parts contain cyanogenic glycosides and can cause nausea/vomiting; must be cooked before use. Avoid in pregnancy and with autoimmune conditions unless under guidance.

Magical & Spiritual Properties

1. Elemental Association: Water
2. Planetary/Deity Correspondence: Venus, Hecate, Holda, the Elder Mother
3. Magical Correspondences: Protection, banishing, transformation, healing, communication with spirits
4. Ritual Use: Branches used for wands; berries and flowers in protective charms, healing spells, and offerings; often planted as a guardian tree
5. Symbolism in Divination/Dreams: Represents thresholds, endings that lead to beginnings, spiritual insight, and ancestral connection

Ecological & Culinary Uses

1. Pollinator Value: Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects
2. Wildlife Uses: Berries provide food for birds, small mammals, and deer; thickets offer shelter for wildlife
3. Culinary Uses: Cooked berries used in syrups, jams, jellies, wines, cordials, pies; flowers made into elderflower cordial, fritters, and teas

Household/Practical Uses

1. Quick Uses: Antiviral syrups, immune tonics, jams, wines, floral cordials, protective charms
2. Notable Traits: Highly adaptable plant, sacred in folklore, powerful antiviral properties backed by modern studies
3. Special Notes: Always cook berries; never consume raw. Associated with both healing and the spirit world.

Supporting Notes

1. Hoffmann, David. Medical Herbalism (2003)
2. Chevallier, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine (2016)
3. Grieve, M. A Modern Herbal (1931)
4. Barsett, Hilde et al. “Elderberry and the immune system” (Journal of Functional Foods, 2019)
5. Foster, Steven & Duke, James. Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs