What Is an Elderberry Bush?

Elderberry bushes have been around for many years and have long been used for many different types of things including wine and jam. Elderberry bushes or trees can be found in North America, Australia and South America predominately and in some cooler climates. The elderberry bushes can be found growing wild in addition to in commercial pots.

The Elderberry

The Elderberry bush or tree as it is also called, is very hardy and grows wild. It can grow quite large and blooms in late spring with small white flowers, which will then produce small dark berries. Elderberry bushes are popular as landscaping bushes. The berries are edible and are one of the favorites of birds, who can eat a lot of the berries if not picked when ripe. This can lead to bright purple droppings on vehicles, which can ruin a car's paint finish. There are several varieties of the Elderberry bush.

American Elder

Sweet Elder (Sambucus Canadensis), also known as American Elder, is generally found in the eastern portion of the United States and the berries are dark blue to black and are used in many different kinds of recipes, jam being the most popular. The berries from the Sweet Elder can also be eaten right from the bush. Another type of the American Elder (Sambucus racemosa) will have bright red berries and can be found in the cooler climates of North America. The berries from this bush are very bitter and is advised not to be eaten.

European Variety

Black Elder (Sambucus nigra), is considered a European variety that is also found throughout North America and the warmer climates of Europe. This variety is the most popular and is used the most in cooking.

Uses

The berries and flowers are the only thing that is edible on the Elderberry bush, although the fruit is not found in grocery stores. The rest of the plant contains toxins that can make a person very sick. In addition to jams, the berries are used in wine making, extracts and pies. The flowers are used to boil in water for teas, chopped up and added to cake recipes or fried like the Dandelion weed.

Health Attributes

The health benefits of the Elderberry bush are great as it is a strong antioxidant and loaded with potassium and Vitamin C. Herbal remedies will contain elderberry for the cold and flu season as a boost to the immune system.