ELDER
Sambucus canadensis
COMMON NAMES: Sambucus, American elder, sweet elder.
FEATURES: An indigenous shrub growing in all parts of the United States and Canada, in low, damp
grounds, thickets, and waste places. Elders are frequently cultivated for their ornamental foliage. They
grow 5–12 feet high, blooming in June and July, with star-shaped, fragrant flowers ¼ inch across,
grouped in flat flower clusters about 8 inches across. Purple-black berries containing three or four round
seeds mature in September and October. The fruit is often made into jellies, pies, and wine. The
branching stems are covered with a rough, pitted gray bark; large central stems are smooth. The odor is
faintly sweet, aromatic. Taste: slightly bitter. The European elder, though larger than the American, is in
general characteristics and properties similar.
MEDICINAL PARTS: The roots, inner bark, leaves, berries, and flowers are all recognized as natural
medical treatment.
SOLVENT: Water.
BODILY INFLUENCE: Emetic, hydragogue, cathartic. Flowers: diaphoretic, diuretic, alterative, emollient,
discutient, gentle stimulant.
USES: No education is required regarding which part may be used. From the tree top to root’s end it
harbors medical properties. Often all that is needed is the virtue of necessity as a teacher. The flowers,
berries, leaves, inner bark, and roots have elicited gratitude from many in conditions of headache due to
colds, palsy, rheumatism, scrofula, syphilis, jaundice, kidney problems, and epilepsy.
Dr. Brown (1875) gives us the following: “The inner bark of Elder is hydragogue, emetic and cathartic.
Has been successfully used in epilepsy by taking it from branches 1 or 2 years old, scraping off the grey
outer bark, and steeping 2 ounces of it in 5 ounces of boiling water for 48 hours. Strain and give a
wineglassful every 15 minutes when the fit is threatening, have the patient fast. Resume it every 6 to 8
days.” The tea of the flowers is quieting to twitching and inflammation of the eyes, taken internally. The
tea simmered for 10 minutes longer and cotton soaked in the solution provides an eye application over
closed lids. The berries are rich in organic iron and are therefore an excellent addition to the autumn