Introducing Elderberry!

Blue Elderberry (Sambucus cerulea) plants are one of our all time favorite wild healers. Their medicine is contained in their white, umbrella-like flowers and the heavy clusters of deep blue to purpleblack berries in late summer. Their leaves are also healing magicians. They grow on tree-like shrubs that look like a collection of silvery-purple stalks with oppositely arranged compound leaves that are elliptic and serrated in shape.

Blue Elderberry plants can grow up to 13 feet tall, love sunshine, and can often be found in open disturbed areas like clearcuts. We find ours on old fire roads in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon. Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) also makes good medicine. We have some growing on our farm, but it does not grow wild near us.

Elder Flowers

Elder flowers are the uniquely flavored component of St. Germaine liqueur. Not only do these flowers make a tasty drink to sip, they help to promote sweating and reduce fevers, dissolve phlegm throughout the body, and offer general respiratory support. They are a great addition to tea blends, and make a tasty tincture that can help reduce the length of flus and colds. Elder flowers are also edible. Some folks like to dunk them in batter and fry them up as fritters in the spring. 

Elder Leaves

Elder leaves can be used both internally and externally. In teas, tinctures, and other potions, Elder leaves cool tissue and induce mild sweating to help break fevers. Used in oils and salves, Elder leaves relieve pain and inflammation from sprains, strains, and bruises. The salve can also be used to treat hemorrhoids.

Elderberries

And the berries! Not only are they strongly antiviral, good for circulation, and an excellent tonic for the immune system... they taste delicious! Because the seeds can upset some bellies, it is strongly recommended not to eat the berries raw. Cooked and strained, however, they become an ideal ingredient for respiratory and immune system tinctures, elixirs, cordials, infused vinegars, and syrups.

Any time I have as much as a tickle in my throat I take some Elderberry Elixir and it seems to take care of it. While there certainly may be other factors at play, I have not had cold or flu symptoms since Elderberries became a part of my life three years ago. Before that, I was consistently bed-ridden sick for a few days each winter.

Make Your Own Elderberry Potions

If you want to make your own Elderberry potions and don’t have access to wild stands, you can buy dried Elderberry from your local herb shop. If you don’t have a local shop, Oshala Farm, Starwest Botanicals, and Mountain Rose Herbs are an excellent sources for bulk organic herbs and berries in Oregon. As with all purchases, I encourage you to buy organic and to support farmers in your own region.

Check out the recipes below for some ideas. Let these recipes simply be a starting point for you. Adjust ingredients and quantities to match your preferred flavor profile and medicinal needs. And, most importantly, have fun with them! Joy in the creative process is a vital part of the medicine, too.

Elderberry Potion Recipes

Elderberry Elixir Recipe

This recipe is my own blend. I made it often for guests and staff members during the years I worked at Breitenbush Hot Springs and it seemed to help folks get over colds quickly or prevent them altogether.

In combine the following in a pot:

1/2 cup dried Elderberry or 1 cup fresh

1/4 cup dried Hawthorn Berry

1/4 cup dried Rosehips

1 TB ground Cardamom

A few Cinnamon sticks

A thumb-sized knob of fresh Ginger, chopped

1/2 Lemon

4 cups Water

Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain, then add 2 TB (or more!) honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

This recipe is from Rosemary Gladstar’s book Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health.

1 cup fresh or ½ cup dried Elderberries

3 cups water

1 cup honey

Cover the berries with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. With the lid on the pan, lower heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Next, smash the berries and strain through a fine strainer. Add honey and stir to integrate. Pour your gorgeous syrup into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. 

Classic Wellness Blend

This old timey folk blend has been popular with generations of herbalists. Combine equal parts Elderberry, Yarrow, and Mint to make a tea or tincture. Feel free to add additional herbs, fruits, and spices! Drink several cups a day when you’re feeling under the weather. 

Elderberry Cordial Recipe

Fill a jar of any size with elderberries. Cover them with brandy or another alcohol of your choice. Cover, shake, and keep in a dark place for 4-6 weeks, shaking as often as you remember to. When it’s ready, strain and pour into a bottle. Find yourself a sweet little sipping glass and enjoy!

You may also want to get creative and add other berries, spices, or herbs to your cordial. Hawthorn Berries and mulling spices would be delicious here too! 

Nymph and Woodsman’s Magical Elderberry Elixir

If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own Elderberry potions, we’d love to share ours with you! You can purchase our healing magic-packed blend of Elderberries, Elderflower, Ginger, Yarrow, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves, Honey, and Vinegar in our online shop. You can take it by the dropperful as an antiviral immune tonic, by the spoonful to lower fevers and speed recovery time from colds and flus, or by the ounce in hot water or your favorite spirits for a simply delicious beverage. Enjoy!