As I reflect on the journey our diets and gardens have taken over time, there’s one particular standout that deserves a spotlight—elderberry. Despite initially dismissing it as just another health fad, its reputation as a superfood with extraordinary immune-boosting properties has reached my ears year after year. Yet, it wasn’t until the seeds of our own ambition to cultivate a food forest plot were sown that my true appreciation for the elderberry sprouted. This marvelous plant, once overlooked, had now taken root in both our land and our lives, inviting us to delve deep into its abundant virtues. Join me on this exploration of elderberry, where we uncover how a seemingly mundane berry can transform perspectives, diets, and ecosystems alike.
Unveiling the Wonders of Elderberry: A Superfood Odyssey
It is interesting to note that elderberry is not just a current wellness trend. In fact, the plant has known significance throughout history. Did you know that in the middle ages elderberry was considered a “Holy Tree” capable of restoring one’s health and contributing to longevity? To earn such a title, the elderberry plant must have a lot to offer right? The answer is an emphatic YES!
Immune Boosting Properties
Most people know that elderberries themselves are high in vitamin C. This explains the immune boosting properties we’ve all heard about. Or does it?
According to the National Library of Medicine:
“In recent times, elderberry has gained popularity in research and the wider community due to its reported antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating, as well as antidepressant properties. The berries are dark violet-black drupes which grow in clusters and owe their colour to the anthocyanins; a group of phenolic compounds which, amongst flavonoids, are abundant in elderberries and considered the active constituents of the fruits. However, elderberries also contain a variety of nutrients ranging from various vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B9, C and E), trace elements such as Cu, Zn, Fe and minerals such as K, Ca and Mg to phytochemicals such as carotenoids, phytosterols and polyphenols. These additional constituents and activities make elderberries a likely candidate for beneficial nutritional and/or medical supplementation not only for respiratory, but also for cardiovascular and mental health, all of which may be affected during travel.”
Wow! This little fruit is absolutely loaded with nutrients that can help us overcome illness and improve our overall wellness. But the fruit is not the only beneficial plant matter to us.
The flowers of the elderberry plant contain tannins that reduce bleeding, diarrhea, and congestion. Many people enjoy these lovely blossoms in a fragrant tea.
You can eat the flowers raw or add them to baked goods, fritters, and pancakes to name a few.
Crush the leaves to make a poultice for joint stiffness, general soreness and inflammation, and to reduce swelling.
Growth Habitat
These shrubby plants range in size from six to thirteen feet tall with optimal growth habitat. Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound with clusters of white flowers five to nine inches wide at the tips of branches. Each cluster yields several hundred flowers.
They tend to colonize and can provide more than enough food for us as well as small mammals. One overlooked benefit of a colony of elderberry bushes is the sweet little songbirds it will attract. The melody of songbirds brings us joy and helps to calm the nervous system. Additionally, these birds help keep nuisance insect populations under control. They also play an important role in dispersing seeds which helps the continued life cycle of this short lived plant.
Wouldn’t it be nice to look out into the yard and see warblers, finches, and blue birds flitting around happily?
Elderberry bushes like moist, well-drained soil and will appreciate part sun to light shade on the edge of woodlands. In nature, look for them at the opening of a moist woodsy spot, along stream banks, drainage ditches, or pond edges.
Shoreline Stabilization
These low lying shrubs create a nice overhanging canopy along the river, stream, or pond banks. This canopy yields shelter for small aquatic animals, like fish and frogs, that are an important part of the ecosystem. The songbirds we mentioned above nest and perch in the branches. And the root system of these colonizers help to stabilize river banks.
We have been planning to build a pond on our property as part of our sustainability project. The biggest reason we want a pond is to raise our own fish to supplement our diet with completely hormone-free, chemical-free animal protein. Along the banks of our pond we plan to grow a mix of edible, medicinal, flowering, and ornamental plants.
When we talk about planning a food forest, remember that it can take on different forms. In this case, we will have a small food forest surrounding our pond and supporting its unique ecosystem. This is what we mean when we talk about conscious planning.
In our pond design, we will have a weeping willow tree because they are beautiful, create a habitat for wildlife, and have medicinal value. Across the back, the flowering canna and elephant ears are attractive plants adding interest and dimension to the pond bank. Canna rhizomes and taro corms are both edible, cooked as a vegetable.
We will plant some Large bamboo clusters to create a beautiful backdrop. Cattail is a classic pond plant and has edible high protein pollen.
Notice in the design, the elderberry bushes are front and center. This will be a harmonious partnership as the elderberry bushes will stabilize the pond bank and the bank is the ideal habitat for these plants. On that note, let’s talk about how to plant elderberry bushes.
Planting Elderberry Bushes
When you are ready to plant your elderberry bush, these are the steps to take:
- Choose a partially sunny spot on a berm with good drainage. Clay soil tends to have poor drainage. If this is your situation, try removing the clay and mounding a good draining top soil in that spot. While elderberry likes moisture, soggy roots will not bode well for your new plant. Elderberry can tolerate full-sun, I hear, but I have not had good luck planting elderberry bushes in full-sun. Note that ideal soil ph for this plant is 5.5 to 6.5.
- Plant after the last frost. The farmer’s almanac is a good guide for determining when that will be. Clear away any weeds that will compete with your sapling for nutrition. Do not add fertilizer to the soil during planting. You could burn the roots and stress the plant.
- The first year you should not expect to harvest berries. The plant will likely flower and if it does, remove the flowers after they have bloomed. You want the plant to focus its precious energy on building strong roots and not on producing fruit. The plant will reach maturity by years three to four but you can expect to be harvesting berries as early as year two!
Harvesting
Important: Only harvest blue or purple/black berries and cook them before eating. Some people eat the berries raw but you should use caution with this because elderberries contain the alkaloids hydrocyanic acid and sambucine that are known to cause GI upset.
Elderberry plants blossom from June through July, attracting pollinators like bees, wasps, and beetles. Fruit will set from August through September.
You can make wine or tea from the flowers, and jam, pies or syrup with the berries. If you are not ready to use the berries right away, you can dry the berries and reconstitute them later.
In closing, the elderberry’s rich history and the manifold wellness advantages it confers make it a timeless addition to any food forest. It’s more than just a fleeting fad; it’s a heritage plant with a storied past and a plethora of present-day benefits. So if you’re inspired to embrace a bit of horticultural tradition and boost your health in the process, consider planting an elderberry bush. Should you embark on this berry rewarding journey, we’d be thrilled to hear about your experiences. Wishing you joy and success in all your gardening endeavors!
Sounds like I need to plant some of these bushes this spring!
I hope you do!