Enchanting Elderberries!

Autumn Elderberries, Mixed Media, 16” x 20”, Mikell Youell Worley

​​Sambucus canadensis

Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water

My grandmother made fabulous jellies, jams, marmalades and preserves. She always had an assortment on the breakfast table, often with homemade, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits. She used a variety of fruits - grapes, apricots, apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, raspberries and there may be some I’m forgetting. My favorite by far was elderberry jelly. It’s still my favorite.

Elderberry is a powerful antioxidant. It boosts the immune system, is high in vitamin C, reduces inflammation, lowers stress, is good for heart health, as well as respiratory health. Many people, myself included, are convinced it lessons the chances of getting colds and the flu.  And I think it’s beautiful! 

One of my most memorable experiences with the American Elder was with the flowers, not the berries. I was on a camping trip, and one of the cooks was making pancakes for breakfast. She gathered a few of the white-blossomed umbrels, dipped them in pancake batter, placed them in the cast iron skillet, and snipped the stems off. They looked like lace doilies and tasted delicious!

Elder has been around a long time and is associated with numerous legends. The seeds were reportedly used in Switzerland in 2,000 B.C., and both Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder praised its medicinal properties. Over the years, it has had a wide variety of folk names. It was called Pipe Tree since the hollow stems were used as whistles . At one time, it was rumored to be the tree Judas was hanged on. It was condemned as the wood of the cross of Calvary and began to be analogous with darkness, sorrow and death. It was called the Tree of Doom and the Devil’s Eye.

Fear and superstition surrounded the elder. Trimming the branches or using the wood for firewood was certain to bring bad luck. If furniture was made from the wood, the bad luck was carried into the owner’s homes. Magicians, however, often took the risk to cut off a branch and use it for their magic wands. 

Another folk name, Lady Ellhorn, was associated with the belief that a witch lived in each bush, further substantiated by the red sap that bled when the tree was cut. To ensure safety before cutting down an elder plant, it was recommended that these words be used for protection: 

Lady Ellhorn, give me they wood, 
And I will give thee of mine,
​When I become a tree.

Saying these words before making the first cut gave the witch an opportunity to leave the tree without experiencing any harm. 

 In spite of the fears associated with using the plant, the elder is praised for its ability to protect.  If an elder is planted on a property, it will protect the family from lightning, negativity, snakes and evil spirits. Robbers will be unable to enter the home, and the occupants will be guaranteed prosperity. Placing elderberries under the pillow is said to ensure a good night’s sleep, as long as you aren’t the one who has to do the laundry the next day. 

When I was in middle school, I read that some plants are good for the eye, others are good for the soul. Elderberries are good for the eye, the soul and the body. If you aren’t familiar with this delightful plant, I suggested you take a proactive approach to meet it personally! A plant that contributes to good health and prosperity, and will protect you and your home is one to be treasured!