Updated May 22, 2023.
Elderberry is such a great plant that does not get the admiration it deserves. Not only can you make fabulous-tasting wine but elderberry is a wonderful medicinal plant. You can use it in baking, making tinctures, and jelly. In addition, elderberry is approved as a natural food colorant.
Elderberry is also an important wildlife food for local songbirds and other wildlife. Game birds such as quail and turkey feed on the berries as well as deer, squirrels, and bears. Depending on where you live you may attract bluebirds, mockingbirds, red-breasted nuthatch, orioles, woodpeckers or tanager to your yard.
This article will talk about growing and using elderberry, health benefits, and includes several recipes.
Growing Elderberry
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a native bush to Eastern North America. Its cousin Sambucus cerulea is native to the western side of North America. Both are widespread and often seen on the sides of roads, farmlands, and at the edges of woodlots.
Placement
The American Elderberry is native in agricultural zones 3 - 8. It is a different species than the European Elder which is a tree.
They work well on the homestead on the outside edge of your orchard or in berry plantings. I like to plant them along fence rows because they produce suckers and will form a dense hedgerow.
Elderberries like to be kept moist so if you have a wet area on your property that is prone to runoff that may be a good planting location.
Soil Needs
Well-draining soil that is rich in compost will keep them growing well. Plant them eight feet apart to ensure good airflow in between plants.
Elderberries prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5-6.6. Make sure to do a soil test and acidify your soil if necessary. Some good natural amendments for acidifying soil are sphagnum peat, cottonseed meal, and coffee grounds.
How To Plant
Most times when you order elderberry they will come as a bare root plant. When planting elderberry dig a hole twice as deep as the roots. Put the soil in the wheelbarrow to make it easy to mix with the amendments.
Use my Secret Sauce below to add extra nutrients and tilth to the soil. This will get your bushes off to a great start.
Take the time to prepare your soil for elderberry plants.
Cross-Pollination
Plant elderberries 8 feet apart. Both American and European elderberries cross-pollinate so they need another variety. I recommend at least one Adams and one John but you can look into what grows well in your area.
The plants will sucker and fill in. The make good hedge rows.
Mulching
Elderberry does not like weed competition. Some good mulches to help lower pH are pine needles and woodchips. You can also use straw.
Pruning
Elderberry is an attractive shrub with clusters of white flowers in spring. Depending on the variety they can grow up to twelve feet tall and six feet wide.
They often benefit from pruning to keep them in line! Little pruning is needed during the first two years. After that pruning should be done each year in early spring.
Varieties
Elderberries cross-pollinate so plant at least two separate varieties. I have Adams and Johns and they do well together.
Adams is well known as the “pie” elderberry variety and produces medium-sized, juicy, semi-sweet, purple fruits. They are good sized bushes that grow eight feet tall and do well in wet areas.
Johns is a tall, cold-hardy variety and produces tart but very flavorful fruits that work well n jams and jellies.
Nova pollinates with York is on the smaller side at six feet tall.
Scotia is popular for cooking. Very productive and ripens early. The sweet, juicy berries, are popular with market farmers.
York produces large sweet berries that ripen in late summer.
Harvesting
The trick to harvesting is being faster than the birds. Use a bird netting to cover plants you wish to harvest. I typically net two or three plants and leave the rest for the birds. They appreciate that I share it with them!
The fruits grow in clusters of small berries. They can be hard to pick individually so harvesting clusters work best. Pick clusters that have most of the berries deep purple and ripe. You can prepare them by freezing briefly to make them easy to remove.
Rinse the clusters of berries and lay flat on a towel to drain. At this point, you can remove them with a fork for fresh use or freeze.
Cover a baking pan or sheet with parchment paper and place the berry cluster on it.
Place them in the freezer for twenty-four hours.
Remove from the freezer and put them in a clean plastic storage bag. Hit the bag on a tabletop and it will remove the berries.
You can then use them at that point or put them in a freezer container for future use.
Check out my video on growing elderberries and subscribe to our YouTube channel
Cautions
***Never eat berries or leaves fresh from the plant. Always cook first***In the raw form, elderberry leaves and berries do contain toxins.
The plant produces cyanogenic glycosides, which may cause intestinal upset including vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and overall weakness. When you cook the berries the heat destroys the cyanogenic glycosides present them.
Many of the cultivars have been bred to reduce the amount of glycosides in the plant. Use caution if you are harvesting elderberries in nature.
Only grow the black elderberries! The red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) is poisonous to humans however birds love them.
Health and Medicinal Qualities
Elderberries are loaded with nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin C and provide 43% per serving. They also contain vitamin B6 (18% ) and iron (12% ). All ingredients that stimulate the immune system. It has antiviral properties and helps joints by reducing swelling.
According to doctors, elderberry to help prevent and ease the discomfort of the flu and common cold virus. Elderberry has been popular with people worried about the Corvid 19 or coronavirus however no studies have been done yet.
You can make your own elderberry recipes or purchase online.
Elderberry is also used as a treatment for:
Constipation
Joint and muscle pain
Infections that affect how you breathe
Headaches
Fever
Kidney problems
Epilepsy
Minor skin conditions
Stress
HIV and AIDS
The flower cluster is quite edible and can be dipped in batter and fried.
Elderberry Recipes
There are so many great things you can make with elderberry. The fruit is very versatile and is popular in jams, pies, tea, syrup and of course for herbal medicines.
Elderberry Jelly
Jelly is a fun way to use your berries and has a delightfully sweet and tart flavor, great for morning toast.
Here is a great jelly recipe from one of my favorite online cookbooks Simply Recipes
INGREDIENTS
3-4 lbs fresh or frozen ripe elderberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon butter or butter substitute
You will need 5 to 7 Half-pint canning jars
METHOD
1 Rinse the elderberry clusters:
I rinse elderberry clusters thoroughly by putting them in the basin of my kitchen sink and fill it up with fresh water. Gently swish around to remove any dirt or insects.
2 Strip the elderberries from their stems: You can skip this step if you have followed the freezing steps above. If not gently use a fork tines across the clusters to dislodge the berries from the stems. Remove any unripe (red or green berries). For each batch of jelly, you will need three pounds of de-stemmed elderberries (about 8 to 10 cups).
3 Put the elderberries in a pot and bring to a simmer: Place berries in a large pot and use a potato masher to crush them and release some of the juices. Place heat on medium and continue to crush as the mixture heats up to a boil. Once the berries and their juices reach a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the berries simmer for 10 minutes. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
4 Strain the juice from the elderberries: Place a large fine-mesh sieve, or four layers of cheesecloth, over another pot or glass bowl. Slowly transfer the mashed berries and juice over the sieve to strain the juice. Let the berries strain for an hour so you get all the juice.
5 Prepare jars for canning: You'll need 5-6 eight-ounce canning jars with rings and lids. Rinse out the jars and place them on a baking sheet, facing up in the oven. Heat them for ten minutes at 200°F to sterilize. To sterilize the rings and lids, place them in boiling water for several minutes.
6 Measure out the juice: You will need 3 cups of juice to make one batch of jelly if using SureJell pectin. If you use a different brand of pectin make sure to follow their guidelines. Leftover juice can be made into syrup.
7 Add the elderberry juice, lemon juice, and pectin to a large pot: Put three cups of your juice into a large, eight-quart pot. Add the lemon juice and pectin and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat.
8 Add sugar, butter: Add 4 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of butter to the mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring it back to a boil again. Lower heat to medium. Keep stirring as the mixture will foam up considerably.
9 Boil the mixture: As soon as the mixture reaches a rolling boil cook for precisely two minutes, remove from heat and pour the mixture into canning jars to 1/4-inch of headspace from the rim.
10 Secure canning jars with lids: Use a damp paper towel to clean off rims. Place lids on jars and rings to secure. Process the jars in a water bath for five minutes. Remove from water and let cool. As the jelly cools you should hear a popping sound as the lids seal.
Elderberry Syrup Recipe
This is a simple elderberry syrup recipe made with dried elderberries, honey, and herbs for an immune-boosting. The herbs in the recipe complement the elderberry.
The ginger adds warming that is good for helping the body fight off colds and flu. Elderberry syrup provides the immune-boosting benefits of black elderberries in a great-tasting way.
Check out my elderberry video for a step-by-step with using fresh berries.
This recipe comes from Katie Wells.
Ingredients:
3½ cups of water
2/3 cup black elderberries dried, or use 1 1/3 cups fresh or frozen
2 Tbsp. ginger (grated)
1 tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of ground cloves
1 cup of raw honey
Instructions
In a medium saucepan place water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce temperature to low. Simmer for forty-five minutes. You want the liquid to be reduced by about half.
Remove from heat and cool.
Using a wooden spoon mash the berries by pressing against the side of the pan.
Pour your mixture through a strainer or colander and into a glass jar.
Allow the juice to cool to a lukewarm temperature.
Lastly, add the honey and stir.
Store in the refrigerator. Take when you feel the slate of a cold or fever coming on or if you have been exposed to someone who is ill. The standard dose is ½ - 1 teaspoon for children age 2 and older and ½ - 1 tablespoon for adults once per day for prevention or three times per day if you are ill. Since this recipe contains raw honey you should not give to babies under one year old.
Elderflower Syrup
Berries aren’t the only thing that makes a great syrup! The elderberry plants’ flowers also have great medicinal qualities similar to the berries.
One study published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research suggests elderflower has antibacterial properties that help inhibit bacterial growth in the body.
The syrup will be lighter in color.
This recipe comes from the Penn State Extension Office
2 cups water
2 cups granulated white sugar
2 large lemons
15 – 20 cymes (flower cluster) of elderflower
1.5 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
Start with a clean area and equipment.
Separate flowers from stems. Shake to remove any dirt or bugs. Do not rinse, as that will remove much of the flavor.
Add the sugar and water to a medium pot over medium-low heat. Stir and bring to a low boil until dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the zest and juice from one lemon and the lemon juice or vinegar to the sugar syrup.
In a large container that has a cover, place the elderflowers and one thinly-sliced lemon.
Pour the syrup onto the elderflowers. Cover, place in a cool area, and let the flavors infuse for one to three days.
After infusion pour the mixture through a colander lined with cheesecloth. Pour the clear syrup into a bottle with a secure top and store it in the refrigerator. Use within a few weeks.
Note: Elderflower syrup made from this recipe cannot be safely consumed after being stored at room temperature or canned.
Elderberry Blueberry Popsicles
Here is the perfect solution if you have a cranky, sick, little one. They get the benefits of elderberry, blueberry, and coconut.
Ingredients:
Two cups of coconut water
One-third cup elderberry syrup (see our recipe above)
One third cup blueberries
Juice of half a lemon or a teaspoon lemon juice concentrate.
Three tablespoons raw honey
One fourth a teaspoon sea salt
Prepare:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and place it in BPA Free popsicle molds.
Don’t miss this fun video of Elton John’s Elderberry wine to scenes from the film Arsenic and Old Lace. FUN!
Author, Ame Vanorio has 29 years of experience living off-grid, is a certified teacher, and an organic farmer. She is the director of Fox Run Environmental Education Center and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Blueberries are known for their health benefits to the body. They fit in well in the home garden and have great yields. Blueberries make a lovely edible landscaping plant and have pretty red and purple foliage in fall.