Elderberry is most well-known for its fruit, but you can also grow elderberries for their flowers. American elder is a fast-growing bush that will tolerate a variety of conditions and requires little care and maintenance. Consider adding this to your garden for visual interest, flowers, and berries.
Growing Elderflowers
The flowers of the elder have been used for centuries and longer, but in modern times have been forgotten by many. Whether you want to add an elder to your garden to add shade and a new shrub or to try the flowers, growing it will be easy. It will grow well in full sun and partial shade and in nearly any type of soil, from clay to sandy. Pruning is important, though, to maintain a nice rounded shape and to keep the shrub healthy.
What are Elderberry Flowers Used for?
Elderflower uses are plentiful; people have been using them for medicine and food and drink for centuries. The aroma of elderflower is enticing and the flavor is floral with notes of vanilla and spice. You can make elderflowers into cordial and syrup, and then use those products to make a range of drinks and foods. They can also be used to flavor wine and beer or to make tea. As a food, elderflowers are tasty in baked goods and desserts. Medicinally, elderflowers have been used to treat a variety of conditions and symptoms, although you should always consult with your doctor before trying any herbal medicine. Elderflower has been used to treat sinusitis, constipation, colds, the flu, coughing, inflammation, laryngitis, and diabetes.
Elderflower Harvesting
Picking elderberry flowers is easy, but you do need a good pair of shears or clippers. Harvest the flowers that have just opened up and that still look clean and white with no darker spots. Clip the stem about four to six inches (10 to 15 cm). below the flower cluster. These delicate blooms won’t last long, so plan to use them or preserve them the same day. To preserve elderflowers, you can dry them or make them into a syrup that can be used in a variety of dishes later. To dry the flowers, lay them out on a screen and turn several times over a few days. Remove the flowers from the stems and store them in a sealed bag. Growing elderflowers is rewarding and easy, but you may also be able to harvest the flowers and berries from local wild shrubs. Elder are common, so look around your neighborhood to see what you can forage. Just be sure you know how to identify it correctly.
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Elderberries Not Fruiting – How To Get Elderberry FruitNo berries on elderberry? There may be a simple explanation. Read on for a helpful tips that may resolve the problem of elderberries not fruiting.
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Germinating Elderberry Seeds – Elderberry Seed Growing TipsIf you are cultivating elderberries for commercial or personal harvest, growing elderberry from seed may not be the most efficient way to go, however, it is possible. Click here to learn more.
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Transplanting Elderberries – How To Transplant Elderberry BushesElderberry plants are attractive and productive. If you have a poorly sited shrub, moving an elderberry is not difficult. Get tips here.
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What To Do With Elderflowers: How To Use Elderflowers From The GardenMany gardeners and cooks know about elderberries, the small dark fruits that are especially popular in European cuisine. But before the berries come the flowers, which are tasty and useful in their own right. Click here to learn what to do with elderflowers.
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How To Harvest Elderflowers – Tips For Picking ElderflowersElderflowers have a long tradition of use and colorful lore. They are most useful in herbal concoctions during flu and cold season. Picking elderflowers when in season and drying them is an excellent way to preserve them for fall and winter sick days. This article will help.
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Elderberry Plant Companions – Tips On Planting With ElderberriesGardeners love elderberries because they attract pollinators, like butterflies and bees, and provide food for wildlife. These shrubs can be planted alone but look best with elderberry plant companions. What to plant with elderberries? This article will help.
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Rooting Elderberry Cuttings: How To Propagate Elderberry CuttingsElderberries are woody plants, thus starting elderberry from cuttings is a simple and common method of elderberry propagation. How to propagate elderberry cuttings and when is the best time to take elderberry cuttings? Learn more here.
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Elderberry Bush Varieties: Different Types Of Elderberry PlantsElderberries are one of the easiest shrubs to grow. The shrubs are commonly found growing along the road, forest edges and abandoned fields. What types of elderberry plants are suited to your region? Find out in this article.
