All about the Elder Tree | A history of medicine, magic & mystery! #elderberry #elderflower

foreign [Music] hello and welcome to small seeds this video is going to be all about the elder tree a tree whose history is rich in medicine magic and mystery and today it's berries and flowers are popularly used in herbal supplements and remedies today's video is going to cover everything from identifying this tree to the folklore surrounding it its historical and modern uses what some of the science says about its medicinal uses as well as harvesting and utilizing its flowers and berries seven summers ago we moved to a property where we could finally have a garden it was a dream come true and Elders were the first trees that we planted and since I started learning about the elder tree it always seemed mysterious to me in certain ways yet after working with it over the years and learning more about it it has become less mysterious and more a simple of balance between two opposing forces the folklore surrounding the Elder tells Tales of a mystical tree that was revered by some cultures as sacred While others saw it to be cursed the tree itself produces lovely light cream-colored flowers that Mark the beginning of Summer and gorgeous clusters of Deep Purple almost blackberries that Mark The End Of Summer and shift into Autumn it is a tree that provides potent medicine but also contains toxic compounds which could make you pretty sick even some of the information of its uses today can be a bit confusing medicine and poison sacred and cursed light and darkness the beginning and the end to elder or not to Elder that is the question yet when we have a better understanding of its history and the plant's active constituents we can truly appreciate this tree and enjoy the benefits of its beautiful flowers and tasty fruits in this video we will be talking about the black elder tree sambucus Negra which is native to Europe some parts of Asia and Northern Africa we are also talking about a subspecies of sambucus Negra sambucus canadensis which is native to North America almost all of the footage within this video is of the Native American subspecies since it's the one that we grow in our garden and most of the information about medicinal uses folklore from recorded history and the scientific research and studies pertain to the European subspecies of black Elder both the European and American subspecies are so closely related taxonomically that they are used interchangeably in herbal medicine today and classified under the same species one of the main noticeable differences is that the European Elder can grow more like a small tree growing as tall as 30 feet while the American subspecies takes on more of a shrub-like appearance usually growing between 8 to 10 feet sometimes up to 12 feet Elders are members of the audac Satie or Machado family and there are other trees that belong to the sambuca's genus including ones that produce blue and red berries in this video we are only referring to the black elder tree which produces the highly nutritious blackberries once you really get the identification down for the elder tree you may start seeing it all around depending on which region of the world you live in you may see them growing wild along roadsides stream banks hedgerows on the edges of forests as well as inside of forests where the sun shines a little bit more through the canopy if you are someone who would like to forage either Elder flowers or berries having the proper identification is important so here are some Basics to remember when looking for it depending on the climate location and even cultivar of the tree you will see Elder flowers in bloom anywhere from late spring to early summer when In Bloom the Elder shows a fantastic display of cream-colored flowers that look like little puffy clouds against the Green foliage the Elder flowers where I live begin blooming in early June while the cultivated varieties we grow in our garden start blooming a few days before the summer solstice and continue blooming into July in some places Elder begins blooming in May and continues into June no matter when they start the flower clusters will periodically Bloom for about four weeks while blooming the flowers have a sweet musky Aroma and they attract many pollinators I often see the wild honeybees enjoying the flowers of the elder trees the flowers grow in a flat topped flower cluster called an umbel the flowers have five petals and five stamens coming from the center at the end of each stamen is a small yellow pollen Sac called an anther so with the flowers we see five petals five stamens five anthers and one pale round ovary within the center after the flowers are pollinated they will start forming into the berries as the berries start forming and ripening on the Clusters the stems holding the berries start turning purplish in color once those berries do start forming they will look like small green beads and just as the flower clusters Bloom at different times throughout a four week period the berries also ripen like this each Elderberry is about an eighth inch in size and within the small berries will be about three to five seeds berries should only be harvested for consuming when completely ripe and even then they should not be eaten in their raw State due to possible toxicity the leaves of Elder are penately compound and contain an odd number of leaflets on each Leaf stem they grow in opposite pairs along the stem with one terminal leaflet at the end each leaflet is slightly serrated around the edges the bark of the elder tree is a light brown or grayish brown color older wood tends to form creases in the bark and the younger growth has small bumps along the bark called lenticles New Growth is green and sometimes tinged with a purple color many elder trees are shrub-like in appearance having multiple stems and sometimes they do take on more of a tree-like appearance which is more common with the European subspecies through the middle of each branch is a soft white pith which is easily hollowed out and this is why Elder wood was traditionally made into whistles pipes and small musical instruments at the end of this video we will go into harvesting the flowers and berries and how to safely utilize them but for now let's talk about the elder tree how it was used historically and some of the folklore surrounding it historically all parts of the elder tree were utilized for medicine however today this is a less common practice due to the cyanogenic glycoside symbionigrin being found throughout the plant the leaves bark and branches were sometimes used as anemetic to induce vomiting which makes sense since these parts are considered toxic flowers were used as a diaphoretic to induce sweating as well as a diuretic to increase your inflow they were also used for respiratory ailments coughs colds wound healing and Skin Care the berries had a wide range of medicinal use from treating constipation as well as diarrhea as a diuretic to increase urine flow for coughs colds sore throats respiratory ailments kidney ailments toothaches joint pain headaches menstrual complaints and they were even used as medicine and magical protection against serious diseases like the Black Plague Elderberry seeds have been found by archaeologists in areas of human activity that date back to the stone and Bronze Age historically both the flowers and berries were used for food and making into drinks in North America early indigenous people utilized both blue and black Elder species for medicinal and ceremonial use it is said that ancient Egyptians would use the flowers to beautify the skin by improving complexion and it was also used to heal Burns in ancient Greece the father of medicine himself Hippocrates called the elder tree his medicine chest because of its Effectiveness in treating various ailments the genus named sambucus possibly originates from the Greek word sambuc which was a musical instrument which seems fitting since the hollow stems of Elder were often used to make pipes flutes and whistles the name Elder may have originated from the Anglo-Saxon word for fire ELD because the hollow stems were once used to blow through to start fires the elder tree held great significance in many northern European traditions and cultures when it came to both magic and medicine and much of the magic and lore of Elder we know of today originated in Europe and dates back to the ancient Druids who revered the elder tree as one of their sacred trees and to them it most likely represented Life Death rebirth and regeneration in some early northern European cultures the Elder was said to have a magical connection to the fairy world and also a gateway to the underworld and in some traditions a connection to the queen of the FAE herself some Legends said that if you were to fall asleep underneath a blooming elder tree on midsummer's day you may see the fairy king and queen themselves or even be taken into the fairy world by some mischievous Fae in Scandinavia the Hilda more or Elder mother was the spirit which inhabited the tree this dryad had the power to both protect or harm those who cut anything from the tree without first asking permission of the Hilda mower would be cursed some would simply ask others would make an offering to the tree and sometimes even a short poem was recited it may have went something like this lady L horn give me of thy wood and I will give thee of mine when I become a tree this was a tree to be respected and if one did so the Elder mother would protect them so this treat definitely brings a new meaning to the phrase respect your elders it was said that an elder growing near the house would protect the residents therein throughout northern Europe other superstitions said that the branches should never be cut from the tree and the wood shouldn't be burned in the fire lest ye be cursed after Christianity became the dominant religion within Europe news superstitions of the Elder arose and because it formally held significance in many European Pagan Traditions it was seen mostly as a bad Omen and though it was previously used by some to ward off evil spirits and witches it quickly became associated with these things instead of protection from them some people believed that witches would gather under the trees and that some witches would turn themselves into elder trees in some Christian folklore it was believed to be the tree which Judas Iscariot hung himself from and some even said wood from the tree was used to make the cross that Jesus was crucified on who really knows especially because I've heard this to be said about many different trees plus elderwood isn't very sturdy and its branches are Hollow interestingly enough there is a mushroom called the Judas ear mushroom that grows almost exclusively on elderwood the elder tree truly has a mysterious past and has been carried on throughout history in literature and can even be found in modern media now that we talked a bit about some of the folklore and historical uses of Elder let's begin talking about some of the modern uses for the flowers and berries as well as some of the science behind their nutrition and benefits starting with the Elder flowers today Elder flowers are still used for many of the same medicinal actions they were centuries ago herbalists today will recommend the use of the flowers as a diaphoretic to induce sweating and break fevers as well as a diuretic to increase urine flow Elder flowers are a popular addition to herbal skin care products due to their high amounts of antioxidants anti-inflammatory benefits and Mild antimicrobial properties Elder flowers can be found in many of the same herbal supplements that the berries are found in for relieving coughs and colds though there aren't as many studies that have been done with the Elder flowers compared to the berries the flowers are absolutely a rich source of antioxidants plants we talk about on this channel are usually full of antioxidants and the flowers and berries of Elder are no exception of course the amounts of antioxidants and nutritional value of both Elder flowers and berries will vary from plant to plant depending on the climate soil and growing conditions as well as the variety of Elder both elderflowers and elderberries are loaded with antioxidants particularly in the form of polyphenols though we can't attribute all benefits of Elder flowers and berries to one specific set of constituents these polyphenols play a huge role in Elders beneficial properties polyphenols are compounds found within the plant that offer numerous health benefits studies and scientific research indicates that a diet high in polyphenols has noticeable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects within the body without antioxidants to neutralize free radicals cells within the body get damaged at a quicker rate increasing chances of chronic health issues like cancer heart disease or diabetes so a diet rich in polyphenols helps Aid the body in fighting free radical damage and since they reduce inflammation they are believed to prevent chronic inflammatory diseases the berries of black Elder contain a variety of polyphenols in the form of phenolic acids and flavonoids like flavonols and anthocyanins anthocyanins are one of the better known polyphenols found within the fruits because of the blue red and purple color they give certain plants though the flowers may not contain anthocyanins they do contain up to 10 times more flavonols and contain different phenolic compounds that aren't present within the berries elderberries have one of the highest contents of anthocyanins of any fruit and within the American subspecies of black Elder there are different types of anthocyanins called oscillated anthocyanins that are not found in the European subspecies these anthocyanins are more stable and show higher antioxidant activity not gonna lie I was really excited to find that one out anyway the anthocyanins within elderberries are also believed to give them their antiviral and immunomodulating properties other possible constituents that contribute to this effect are polysaccharides and the berries also contain vitamin E vitamin C and small amounts of beta-carotene which also contribute to the berries antioxidant and medicinal value today elderberries are most pop regularly utilized as an herbal medicine for their antiviral and immunomodulating effects mainly for upper respiratory illnesses like the common cold and flu and symptoms associated with these ailments because this is one of the main uses for elderberries historically and in modern times it is also one of the most investigated when it comes to scientific research and studies there have been many in vitro studies done showing elderberry's antiviral action where Elderberry extracts inhibited both influenza A and B viruses from binding to host cells one in vitro study that took place in 2019 showed extracts not only inhibiting the virus's ability to attach to cells but also having a more potent effect on the later stages of viral infection this is interesting because when looking through research studies and reviews done on Elderberry it is usually concluded that Elderberry may not prevent the flu or common cold but does seem to be effective in shortening the duration of sickness and severity of symptoms other in vitro studies also showed Elderberry extracts to have antiviral action against other flu viruses like the swine flu and bird flu and even antiviral activity against HIV and herpes simplex virus other in vitro studies also showed Elderberry extracts have antibacterial properties against certain strains of bacteria that also cause upper respiratory and sinus infections while possibly having this direct inhibiting effect on viruses ability to attach to a host cell Elderberry extracts have been found to take action within the immune system by increasing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines which act as chemical Messengers in our immune response that cause inflammation in the body where there is a foreign Invader signaling to immune cells where to take action in the wake of the kova 19 pandemic there were worries about Elderberry supplements and remedies over stimulating the immune system and causing what is called a cytokine storm this is where there is an overproduction of these inflammatory cytokines and it can wreak havoc on the body however this doesn't seem to be the case and Elderberry is believed to have more of a balanced effect on the immune system compared to just stimulating it and here we are again in a place where we wonder can Elderberry do more harm than good luckily it truly seems to be a tree of balance even when it comes to its medicinal properties within the immune system in a systematic review done in 2021 which looked through 1187 records and five randomized trials on Elderberry researchers found no evidence of Elderberry over stimulating the immune system in this review they also concluded that Elderberry May reduce the duration of sickness and the symptoms associated with colds and flus some of the human trials done with Elderberry extracts had some promising results as well one study done on 312 airline passengers found Elderberry extracts to shorten the duration of the common cold and the severity of symptoms for the passengers who took Elderberry extracts for 10 days before and five days after their flights and in this study no adverse reactions were observed in a smaller human trial with 60 participants who had flu symptoms the group who received Elderberry syrup had their symptoms clear up on average of four days sooner and the use of rescue medication was less than that of the placebo group besides being utilized for colds and flus elderberries are also used to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies for sinus infections as an antibacterial and as mentioned earlier for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties some other common uses for the berries include relieving pain associated with arthritis and for relieving constipation currently there are small amounts of scientific evidence that indicate Elderberry May lower blood sugar levels cholesterol levels and even lower high blood pressure the small number of studies are limited to in vitro studies as well as studies done with rats and mice there was even one study done with mice showing Elderberry to have possible antidepressant effects of course more studies need to be done before confirming these benefits as fact but all of this information surely is impressive for a tree that also contains poisonous compounds and was once associated with evil spirits and the Devil Himself so it seems as though Elderberry is safe to take for a healthy and balanced immune response when our bodies are battling common viral or bacterial infections however I am not a doctor and don't even consider myself a qualified herbalist in any way I'm simply someone sharing my love and passion for certain plants and the benefits they have to offer so please make sure to do your own research if you want to add Elder to your herbal medicine chest especially if you are someone with an autoimmune condition any type of pre-existing health condition are on medications or are pregnant or breastfeeding now that we have covered a vast amount of Elderberry information let's talk about how we can use both the flowers and berries safely at home for those of you looking to forage from the elder tree or if you are growing Elders let's start with harvesting elderflowers are best picked when most or all of the flowers on the cluster are open and they have their sweet Aroma this will be before the flower petals start drying up or turning more brown in color since the flower clusters Bloom at different times over about a four week period you may be able to find freshly opened flowers and flowers that are starting to turn to berries on the same tree cut freshly bloomed flower clusters at the base of the flower's stem be sure to leave plenty of flower clusters behind for pollinators and of course so that the berries can form to be later harvested and also provide food for wildlife when harvesting the berries you will want to find clusters that are full of mostly ripened berries sometimes there will be a few green berries in the bunch which you can just discard right there or later when you are washing them after rinsing your berries and flowers one simple method to remove them from the stems is using a fork to pretty much comb them off I have also seen people use actual combs for this again this works wonderfully for both the berries and the flowers the berries will of course be messy and can stain cloth and other surfaces so keep that in mind it is best to remove as much of the stem pieces as possible from your flowers and berries for processing but don't worry if there are a few left in there I have honestly never sat there and picked every single one out though the toxic compound sambu nigrin is contained in the stems heating or cooking will get this out the toxic cyanogenic glycoside sambu nigrin is found within the leaves stem unripe berries and seeds the Elder flowers are safe to eat raw or cooked but the berries should never be consumed raw cooking the berries will destroy the toxin in the seeds eating raw elderberries or other toxic parts of the plant can lead to nausea vomiting and diarrhea the most common way to make sure the berries are safe for consumption is by bringing them to a boil and then bringing them back down to a simmer for about 30 minutes uncovered this is the process of making an Elderberry decoction which will usually be strained and made into an herbal syrup the hardest part of this for me is knowing that in order to make it safe for consumption and extract Elderberry benefits we are also losing some of the antioxidant benefits in the cooking process but I suppose this is just a part of the Elderberry Balancing Act as time goes on I am hoping to learn as much as possible and exploring other safe ways to get the maximum benefits from the berries but until then let's all be safe and make sure we cook our berries whether they are dried or fresh ways to utilize your flowers are by drying them out for later use to be used in herbal teas or infusing them into oil but when using them fresh they add a lovely floral flavor to baked goods summertime drinks like elderflower cordial and they are also popularly made into elderflower fritters the flowers can also be tinctured fresh for medicinal properties and my personal favorite is adding them into a herbal syrup with fresh rose petals and adding this summertime floral syrup into iced drinks like teas or making this delicious herbal soda with the syrup some lemon juice seltzer water and some of the fresh Elder flowers and rose petals when it comes to the fresh elderberries you could absolutely dehydrate them for later use especially if you have an abundance for me personally I just like to purchase dried berries in the fall and winter and when I have fresh ones I will usually make a fresh batch of Elderberry syrup right away and then freeze whatever else I manage to harvest freezing your Berry clusters is also a great way to maintain the berries in their fresh State and it also makes removing the stems a lot easier when it comes time to process them the most popular way to use elderberries is to make an herbal syrup with them I have a video on making Elderberry syrup and I will put a link for that in the description the syrup can be taken as is or used for sweetening teas adding to baked goods and once again my personal favorite is adding the syrup with seltzer water and lemon juice to make a delicious herbal soda something else that is very popular to make with your Elderberry syrup is gummies lozenges and hard candies I have been experimenting with my own Elderberry hard candy and throat lozenge recipe and I can't wait to have it perfected and when it comes to baking with fresh elderberries there are a lot of recipes out there and of course making Elderberry jams jellies pies and even making them into wine is very popular well we have gone on quite the Elder journey together in this video the elder tree will remain one of my favorites to grow eat and craft from and just admire I am really excited to continue working with and learning more about this plant as time goes on I hope you enjoyed this video and learned some new things about this exciting tree I honestly did not expect to take so long with this video I ended up compiling footage for it over the past three years and at one point just kind of stopped working on it but once I picked it back up it kind of turned into a mini documentary on the elder tree I always love to hear from you guys when it comes to what you do with different plants so please feel free to share any information or recipes in the comments below that have to do with the elder tree I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy have a lovely summer much love to you all

Channel: Small Seeds

Views: 22,975

Keywords: Elderberries, Elderberry, Elder Tree, Elderflowers, The Elder Tree, Elder Tree identification, How to identify elderberries, how to identify elderflowers, how to use elderberries, how to use elderflowers, elderberry uses, elderberry benefits, elderflower uses, elderflower benefits, Elder Tree folklore, Small Seeds, Self Heal, Elderberry history, history of the elder tree, Elderflower and Elderberry benefits, elderberry antioxidants, herbal medicine, herbalism, herbs, wild edibles

Id: 8t1saa5YshM

Length: 28min 37sec (1717 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 06 2023