The hardy elder has traditionally been spurned by gardeners, who once regarded this fastgrowing shrub as a weed.
However, both the common elder and other, decorative, varieties have found a new popularity in gardens.
The common elder, Sambucus nigra, has been the subject of stories and fables for thousands of years. In pre-Christian times, the elder was the symbol of the earth goddess, who was thought to heal people and protect animals and plants. It was believed that good spirits which protected each house lived in the elder.
Back in fashion
For many years, the elder was a fairly rare sight in our gardens. It used to be common around farms and roads in the countryside, but was traditionally regarded as too bulky for small urban gardens.
EASY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE
Even with no leaves on the plant, it is easy to tell the difference between common elder and red berried elder.
Simply break off a branch. If the break is white, the tree is an ordinary, common elder; if yellow or brown, it is a red-berried elder. The berries of the redberried elder are poisonous, so choose another variety if you have small children.
Smaller and more elegant shrubs were preferred to the elder, but now more and more people are planting this beautiful shrub with its bunches of white flowers.
Flowers and berries
From June into July, the small, cream-coloured, five-pointed flower stars cluster into flat bunches. The clusters of berries form in September.
The flowers are replaced by juicy black berries which sit on deep red flower stalks. Both flowers and berries can be used in various ways. The flowers can be turned into cordials, while the large flower bunches can be deepfried or made into delicate elderflower pancakes.
The berries can also be used to make a cordial which is rich in vitamins, or can be turned into jam, jelly, compote or liqueur. Unripe berries can be pickled. But it is worth remembering that birds like the berries and may compete for the harvest.
The elder as medicine
The elder has long been considered a fine medicinal plant. Both the flowers and the berries can be used in traditional remedies. However, the leaves, roots and bark are poisonous and should not be taken internally.
A runny nose and symptoms of flu or bronchitis can be alleviated with elderflower tea, made by pouring half a litre of boiling water over two tablespoons of dried elder flowers. Allow it to steep for ten minutes, then drink.
Elderflower infusions also help treat headaches and aching joints, while the vitamin-rich cordial could be put to medicinal use.
How it grows
The elder can grow up to 6m tall. The grey, cracked bark is covered in small, wart-like growths. Without leaves, the elder looks quite insignificant. But it comes into its own during the summer, with its pretty foliage, spectacular flowering and large bunches of berries.
Related species
Garden centres may sell named varieties of elder apart from the species plant, Sambucus nigra. 'Purpurea' has purple-green leaves, while 'Laciniata' is a feathery-leaved elder.
The common elder has a few relatives which you also need to be aware of if you intend to use the elder for drink, food or medicine. The red-berried elder, Sambucus racemosa, is particularly beautiful. The yellow-white flowers do not grow in flat clusters, but form a bunch.
The red-berried elder often flowers in May, while the common elder often flowers in the weeks before or just after midsummer. The red-berried elder develops red berries in a tapered bunch which points upwards. These berries are poisonous and should not be used for cordials, tea or jam, but the red-berried elder is a pretty, ornamental garden plant which turns green early in the spring.
Sambucus ebulus, summer elder, is also a poisonous type. It has a fairly unpleasant smell which will deter you from using it, although the black berries can easily be mistaken for those of the common elder.
The Canadian elder, Sambucus canadensis, looks very similar to the common elder. It is only suited to warm locations. The bush grows 3-4m tall and puts out underground shoots, or 'suckers'. The flower heads are very big - 20-25cm in diameter. 'Maxima' has flower heads up to 30-40cm across.
Location and care
The elder grows best in soil which is rich in nutrients and which preferably has some clay. In poor and dry soil the elder becomes more susceptible to attacks from pests.
With the exception of the red-berried elder, the shrub also grows well in lime soil. It makes few demands, will grow almost anywhere, and it can take radical pruning.