Part of the 49th Festival of the Trees, hosted at Yvonne’s The Organic Page. Be sure to check out the other wonderful posts there on artistic interpretations of “Favorite Trees.”
Elderberries (Sambucus cerulea) are blooming in northeastern Oregon.
Elderberry flower cluster
I’ve heard the flowers can be battered and deep fried but have never tried it. It’s hard to give up what the flowers become by August and September.
Ripe elderberries
I rake the berries off the stems, steam-juice them, then brew syrups and juices. The juice is especially tasty in apple pies and crisps.
Fragile branches break easily but make lovely designs
Broken elderberry branches
Most of the elderberry trees on our land perch on steep slopes where ladders don’t work. We leave those for the cedar waxwings and tanagers.
One of a few elderberries on fairly level ground.
Some elderberries have sprouted in my garden. I’ve been transplanting them into a new “elderberry orchard” near our yurt. I’m counting on these young trees to grow up and supply me and my friends with lots of elderberry wine in our advanced years. Let me know if you have a good recipe.
Young elderberry
Thank you, Elizabeth, for this informative post. I didn’t know elderberry branches were so fragile. My dad tells me that grandpa used to make elderberry wine and there is a funny story associated with that which I might share in the Festival of the Trees. I’ll have to find out if dad has a recipe!
Thanks, Yvonne. Would love to read that story and see your grandpa’s recipe.
I feel like I took a stroll through your woods and learned something new and wondrous. Thank you, and I hope you stock up lots of that elderberry wine for the fine days ahead.
You’ve got a great site!
Unfortunately, we have tons of RED elderberry which are poisonous- but the birds still like them.
Thanks, Mike. Red elderberry must be beautiful but I’m glad our blue ones are edible for humans as well as birds.
our flowers are fading in the uk… i love the elder, especially the older trees. An elder orchard sound great!
Thanks, Suzi. I love elders too. They’re not the most prominent tree in my coniferous landscape but they are a lovely understory tree.