August 2, 2009 - Edible Elder

Welcome to the Nature Notebook.

Elderberry is a plant steeped in folklore. Much of this lore came from Europe where elderberry grows as a small tree. Our species of elderberry is a shrub that can grow up to 12 feet tall. The purple-black fruit of elderberry is just ripening. These berries were eaten by Native Americans as well as European settlers and relished by birds and animals. Elderberries are rich in vitamins A and C and provide other nutrients. Berries were baked into pies, made into jam and fermented into wine. Supposedly, elder twigs carried in your pocket were a charm against certain diseases. The magic of elderberry also extended to its ability to drive away witches and kill serpents. And, according to European folklore, if you sat beneath an elderberry bush on a midsummer night fairies and elves would appear before you.
 
This is PPL's naturalist, Jon Beam, with the Nature Notebook for WVIA.