The elderberry is a deciduous treecapable of reaching two to four meters in height, grows on the edges of banks or next to shady paths throughout the Iberian Peninsula and It is a gift from nature for its medicinal virtuesvery useful to counteract the rigors of the cold winter.

Elder tree: what its parts are used for

Almost all parts of the elderberry can be used:

elder wood

The wood of elder branches It is very hard, so it is used for manufacture agricultural and kitchen utensils. He Latin name of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) It derives from the Greek sambucé, which designated a ancient musical instrumentsimilar to a flute, widely used by the Romans and made with the twigs of this tree.

The instruments made from elderwoodalso used for its hardness to make louder horns to warn of the celebration of an event, enjoyed the best reputation, as its sound was clearer and more distinct.

Elderberry leaves and bark

With elderberry leaves and bark you can make a prepared against pests of insects on plants.

elderflower

They are used for different medicinal purposes. They are easily recognizable, but they should not be confused with those of the yezgo (Sambucus ebulus), which is instantly distinguished because, unlike the elderberry, capable of reaching a height of up to four meters, the yezgo is a herbaceous plant that does not exceed eighty centimeters.

Furthermore, lThe flowers and fruits of the elderberry look downwhile in the yezgo they always grow oriented upwards. Flowers, for country lovers, usually They bloom between May and June, and should be dried in a shady, airy place. They are collected from noon and if possible, avoid collecting them if it rained the day before, as their water content would be very high and this would cause them to blacken.

If you follow these tricks you will obtain White-yellow flowers possessing the best medicinal virtues.

Elderberries

Another useful, but less known part, are elderberries, which also have medicinal applications, especially against pain. The berries are harvested at the end of August. until mid-October; They first take on a green tone, then turn red and finally darken.

The fruits should be harvested when they are black hanging from the branches, as the green berries contain cynogenic heterosides, which can be irritating and purgative. Once picked, the berries can be taken directly (in small quantities), or They can be dried and stored in a clean glass jar for future use. In Belgium it is used to make a gin, called «beers vlierke».

Elderberry properties

Elderberry has so many properties that according to one German saying «before the elderberry you have to reveal yourself».

• Diuretic. The bast or second bark of the elderberry (what remains after superficially scratching the trunk and branches) It is an excellent diureticuseful in case of fluid retention, urinary infection, kidney stones, gout and edema. Boil a level tablespoon of chopped dry bast in water for one minute, let it rest, strain it and drink 2-3 cups a day. Dried flowers are suitable if increased diuresis is required, such as in the case of urolithiasis, cystitis or gout.
• Useful for treating bumps and wounds. The leaves serve alone for external use, to relieve sprains, bumps, chilblains and wounds.
• Sudorific. There are few plant species that can boast of having medicinal properties from the bark to the fruits, although What has made the elderberry really interesting is the sudorific capacity of its flowers.which can reduce fever and mitigate flu symptoms. Well dried flowers contain flavonoids (rutoside, 3%), mucilagephenylcarboxylic and triterpenic acids, as well as abundant potassium salts, which give it sudorific properties (useful in colds and flu processes that present with fever).
• Anti-inflammatory. Dried flowers are useful too to treat osteoarticular inflammations and conjunctivitis. Elderberries are used to improve various cases of rheumatism.
• Analgesic. Apart from the pleasure produced by the slightly acidic flavor of the fruits (reminiscent of blueberries), they contain anthocyanosides (heterosides of cyanidin, chrysanthein and sambacyanin), which give them a marked anti-neuralgic action. A tablespoon of juice is popularly administered two or three times a day; It can also be applied topically to areas with neuralgic pain, which is especially useful in trigeminal neuralgia.
• Improves the immune system. Both its white flowers, which adorn medicinal gardens and fields in May, and its black berries are good for strengthening the immune system.
• Improves the intestinal microbiota. It has been proven that elderberry extract can modify the composition of the intestinal microbiota.

How to use elderflower to obtain its properties

• In infusion. Boil a level tablespoon of flowers in a glass of water for 30 seconds, let it rest for five minutes and drink it hot, alone or with honey.
  • In case of fever, take a glass every 3 or 4 hours.
  • To reduce inflammation in conjunctivitisthe amount of flowers is doubled and the warm infusion is applied to the eyes with gauze or cotton as many times as necessary.
• The smoke. To relieve pain in ear infections produced by an accumulation of mucus, especially in children, two tablespoons of dried flowers are burned on a plate. When they burn, they are drowned with another plate to extinguish the flame and the smoke is collected with a funnel or paper cone, bringing the wide part close to the smoke and the narrow part close to the ear (not inside). The very white smoke quickly relieves pain and reduces suppuration.
• with oil. It is used for skin problems with irritation or itching, wounds and burns. Alternately layers of dried flowers with sweet almond oil are placed in a glass bottle, macerated in the sun for a month, stirring every 3-4 days, and then filtered and stored in a closed container. It is applied 2 to 3 times a day on the affected area.
• In creams. Thanks to their soothing and emollient properties, elderflowers are also collected in creams and ointments to moisturize the skinespecially hands and feet, and to relieve irritating rashes in children.
• In the kitchen. There are many ways to include elderberry in dishes, as we explain below.
• In syrup. Natural elderberry syrup is a natural remedy against flu and colds.

Elderberry in the kitchen

With the sweet elderflowers, vinegars, muffins, syrups or sweet breads are prepared.. We propose:

• Add raw flowers to salads. They will give it a sweet touch.
• Prepare the flowers in tempura.
• Make with elderflowers a refreshing infusion. Very popular in northern Europe and the Balkans, this drink is used to treat fluid retention, urinary infections and coughs.
• A very popular use in Austria and in the cold countries of central Europe is to use the flowers as a spice, adding them to stews, sauces and especially omelettes, in which a tablespoon of flowers (dry or tender) is mixed while the egg is beaten.
• In jam. They can also be used to prepare a jam, which is as simple to make as it is delicious to the palate. To prepare elderberry jam, simply extract the juice from the berries and mix it with two parts of honey; It is heated over the fire, boiling it until it reaches the consistency of syrup and; Once ready, it is saved and taken directly or mixed with juice, milk or bread, as if it were a syrup or jam.

Elderberry: precautions and contraindications

It must be kept in mind that the fruits contain natural pigments of intense reddish color that are eliminated through deposition and urine, to which they give a bloody hue.

Furthermore, they have a slightly laxative action if they are ingested in large quantities.

In case of hypertension, heart disease or kidney failure It should be taken very carefully and taken only under a doctor’s prescription.