Elder

The elder is a deciduous treecapable of reaching from two to four meters in height, grows on the edges of the slopes or next to the shady paths of the entire Iberian Peninsula and It is a gift of nature for its medicinal virtuesvery useful to counteract the rigors of the cold winter.

Elder tree: what its parts are used for

Almost all parts of the elderberry can be used:

elder wood

The wood of the elderberry branches It is very hard, so it is used for manufacture agricultural and kitchen utensils. He Latin name of the elder (Sambucus nigra) derives from the Greek sambucé, which designated a ancient musical instrumentsimilar to a flute, widely used by the Romans and made with the twigs of this tree.

The instruments made with the wood of the elderalso used for its hardness to make louder horns that warned of the celebration of an event, enjoyed the best reputation, since its sound was clearer and sharper.

Elderberry leaves and bark

With the leaves and bark of the elder you can make a prepared against pests of insects on plants.

elder flower

They are used for various medicinal purposes. They are easily recognizable, but should not be confused with those of the yezgo (Sambucus ebulus), which is instantly distinguishable because, unlike the elder, capable of reaching a height of up to four meters, the yezgo is a herbaceous plant that does not exceed eighty centimeters.

Furthermore, heThe flowers and fruits of the elder look down, while in the yezgo they always grow facing upwards. Flowers, for country lovers, usually flower between May and June, and must be dried in an airy place in the shade. They are collected from noon and if possible, avoid collecting them if it has rained the day before, as their water content would be very high and this would cause them to turn black.

If you follow these tricks you will get some white-yellow flowers possessing the best medicinal virtues.

Sauco strike

Another useful part, but less known, are the elderberries, which also have medicinal applications, especially against pain. The berries are harvested from the end of August until mid-October; first they take on a green hue, then they turn red and finally darken.

The fruits must be collected when they are black hanging from the branches, since the green berries contain cynogenic heterosides, which can be irritating and purgative. Once harvested, the berries can be taken directly (in small quantities), or They can be dried and stored in a clean glass jar for future use. In Belgium it is used to make a gin, called “beers vlierke”.

elderberry properties

The elderberry has so many properties that according to a German saying “before the elder you have to discover yourself”.

Diuretic. The bast or second bark of the elder (the one that remains after superficially scratching the trunk and branches) it is an excellent diuretic, useful in case of fluid retention, urinary infection, kidney stones, gout and edema. Boil a level tablespoon of chopped dried bast in water for one minute, let it rest, strain and drink 2-3 cups a day. The dried flowers are suitable if it is necessary to increase diuresis, as in the case of urolithiasis, cystitis or gout.Useful for treating blows and wounds. Leaves serve only In external use, to relieve sprains, blows, chilblains and wounds.Sudorific. Few are the plant species that can boast of possessing medicinal properties from the bark to the fruits, although what has made the elderberry really interesting is the sudorific capacity of its flowerswhich can lower fever and lessen flu-like symptoms. Well-dried flowers contain flavonoids (rutoside, 3%), mucilagesphenylcarboxylic and triterpenic acids, as well as abundant potassium salts, which give it sudorific properties (useful in colds and flu processes that present with fever).Anti-inflammatory. Dried flowers are useful too. to treat osteoarticular inflammations and conjunctivitis. Elderberries are used to improve various cases of rheumatism.Analgesic. Apart from the pleasure produced by the slightly acid flavor of the fruits (reminiscent of blueberries), they contain anthocyanosides (cyanidin, chrysanthemum and sambacyanin heterosides), which give them a marked antineuralgic action. Popularly, a tablespoon of juice is administered two or three times a day; it can also be applied topically to areas of neuralgic pain, which is especially helpful in trigeminal neuralgia.Improves the immune system. Both its white flowers, which adorn medicinal orchards and fields in May, and its black berries are good for strengthening the immune system.Improves the intestinal microbiota. Elderberry extract has been found to be able to modify the composition of the intestinal microbiota.

How to use the elderflower to obtain its properties

in infusion. Boil a level tablespoon of flowers in a glass of water for 30 seconds, let it rest for five minutes and drink hot, alone or with honey.In case of fever, take a glass every 3 or 4 hours.To reduce inflammation in conjunctivitisDouble the number of flowers and apply the warm infusion to the eyes with gauze or cotton as many times as necessary.Smoke. To calm the pain in ear infections Produced by an accumulation of mucus, especially in children, two tablespoons of dried flowers are burned on a plate. When they burn, they are drowned with another plate to put out the flame and the smoke is collected with a funnel or paper cone, bringing the wide part closer to the smoke and the narrow part to the ear (not inside). The very white smoke quickly relieves pain and reduces suppuration.With oil. It’s used for irritated or itchy skin problems, wounds and burns. Layers of dried flowers with sweet almond oil are alternately placed in a glass bottle, macerated in the sun for a month, stirring every 3-4 days, and then filtered and stored in a closed container. It is applied 2 to 3 times a day on the affected area. In creams. Thanks to its soothing and emollient properties, elderflowers are also collected in creams and ointments to moisturize the skinespecially hands and feet and to relieve irritative eruptions in children.In the kitchen. There are many ways to include elderberry in dishes, as we explain below.In syrup. Natural elderberry syrup is a natural remedy against colds and flu.

elderberry in the kitchen

Vinegars, muffins, syrups or sweet breads are prepared with the sweet elderflowers.. We propose you:

Add the raw flowers to salads. They will give it a sweet touch. Prepare the flowers in tempura.Making with elderflowers a refreshing infusion. Very popular in northern Europe and the Balkans, this drink is used to treat fluid retention, urine infections and coughs. A very popular use in Austria and in the cold countries of central Europe is to use the flowers as a spice, adding them to stews, sauces and especially tortillas, in which a tablespoon of flowers (dried or tender) is mixed while the egg is beaten.In jam. They can also be used to prepare a jam, as simple to make as it is delicious on the palate. To prepare the elderberry jam, it is enough to extract the juice from the berries and mix it with two parts of honey; it is heated to the fire boiling it until it reaches consistency of syrup and; once ready, it is stored and taken directly or mixed with juice, milk or bread, as if it were a syrup or jam.

Elderberry: precautions and contraindications

It must be borne in mind that the fruits contain intense reddish natural pigments that are eliminated through deposition and urine, to which they give a bloody hue.

In addition, they have a slightly laxative action if they are ingested in large quantities.

In case of hypertension, heart disease or kidney failure It should be used very carefully and taken only under a prescription.