Elderberry

Elderberry or also known as herbaceous perennial plant. It grows everywhere in moist places such as shrubs, forests and settlements, but most commonly found in plains with sufficient moisture. Plants form dense vegetation when they are spaced about 1m apart. They spread rapidly. The birthplace is consider South and Central Europe, as well as Southwest Asia.
The elderberry can be mistaken for an elderflower. It is important to know the differences between them, and they are:

1. The elderberry is shrubby and reaches up to 2m in height, and the elderflower, which is a tree, reaches 7-8 meters in height;
2. The elderberry bloom in the months of July to August, while the elderflower bloom in May through June;
3. The trunks of the elderberry are pointing upwards, while those of the elderflower are looking down.

In herbalism, they use the fruit, the root, and rarely the flowers of the elderberry. The fruits of the plant are harvested and dried in June and July, while the leaves are harvested in the summer and can be dried and used accordingly.  It is important to know that green fruits are poisonous because they contain cyanogenic glycoside, which decomposes after the berries have ripened well.

What does this interesting plant contains?

The root contains anticancer substances, while the fruits: anthocyanins, sugars, essential oil, resins, valeric acid, malic acid, bitter substances, tartaric acid, depth substances, pectin, Vit C, Vit B1, Vit B2 and others.

The elderberry possesses the following properties: diuretic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, tonic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, bile, patogonous, appetite-stimulating, expectorant, antioxidant, anti-arthritic, has a pain-relieving effect, antimicrobial, stimulant, antimicrobial.

Elderberry used in treatments?

The elderberry is used to treat inflammation, gastrointestinal diseases, flu, kidney and lung diseases, as well as wounds, snakebites and insects. The fruits are used in traditional Austrian medicine as a remedy for respiratory diseases such as fever.
Diseases to which it is applied: Liver, kidney, heart failure, anemia, exhaustion, difficulty in urination, sweating, cystitis, various types of dermatitis, snake bites and insects.

The fruits can be cooked and added to soups, salads and dishes. They are usually added as a flavoring, which really leaves a pleasant aroma. Delicious and very useful tea is made from the leaves. In many countries it is often used in traditional medicine to make tea, syrups and even delicious jams. The fleshy white root has a rather unpleasant and bitter taste. Another interesting thing is that the roots and fruits of the plant produce dye. From the fruits of the herb is obtained blue dye and ink. Root juice is used in cosmetics to dye your hair black.

Here are some easy-to-make elderberry recipes:

• Marmalade of dried fruits (it is also an effective cleanser) – sugar, water and fruit are mixed in a 1: 1: 1 ratio and boiled. One teaspoonful in the morning is taken from the mixture. It is also used in the presence of hemorrhoids and tuberculosis;
• Leaf tea – 6-8 petals finely chopped are boiled for 10 minutes in 300 ml of water. The broth is drunk 3 times a day, before eating 1 glass;
• Infusion of flowers – 1-2 teaspoons are poured with 400 ml of boiling water and left to stand for 1 hour. Then strain well and drink 3-4 times a day in a small coffee / tea cup.

There is an abundance of information about elderberry in the herb books space, etc. This is a small part that I took out, to get you acquainted with this interesting and extremely useful plant. I am not a herbalist or a specialist, so I provide you with the information that has made the greatest impression on me and I have selected for you. Do your research. Try it.