Elder (Sambucus Nigra)
© Andy Cantwell

Elder (Sambucus Nigra)

Date added: 13/06/2022 18:10:55
Author: Joan Stacey

The Elders are starting to bloom, with their full heads made up of bunches of light cream or pale yellow flowers and their wonderful scent telling us summer is on the way. This plant is found in woods and along roadsides and forms a bushy shrub or a tree which may reach 20-30 feet.

The derivation of the name is interesting—in Old English ‘aeld’ means ‘fire‘ and it is thought that the hollow stems were used to blow into a fire to encourage it to burn. In the Latin name, ‘nigra’ means ‘black ‘in reference to the berries which ripen around August.

It is said to be unlucky to cut it down or use it to make a child’s cradle which seems odd as it has symbolism relating to change and rebirth and warding off evil spirits. In times long past, people believed in the magical powers of the ‘Elder Mother‘.

It is the elderflower pollen which gives the scent and this has led to various culinary uses. Fritters may be made by dipping the heads in batter before frying and the flowers improve the flavour when cooked with rhubarb and gooseberries. It is also found in soft drinks, jams, jellies and even soup. For those who prefer something stronger, it is an ingredient found in the French liqueur St-Germain and the berries can yield a potent port- like wine. The flowers need to be collected from a clean environment and not washed because that would destroy the pollen.

Harry Potter fans will be aware of the important role of the Elder Wand in the last book in the series!

© FNRC