Medicinal plant

Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Flowers for a hot, congested cold; cooked berries as a seasonal tonic. Also called American Elderberry, American Elder.

Ripe elderberry fruit is traditionally used for upper respiratory infection symptoms such as colds and flu. NCCIH notes preliminary evidence that elderberry may help relieve cold/flu symptoms or shorten illness, but the evidence remains limited.

Properties

Diaphoretic — Encourages sweating

Anticatarrhal — Helps reduce or clear excess mucus and congestion

Nutritive — Provides nourishing minerals or other nutrients

Tonic — Traditionally strengthens or supports a body system over time

Energetics

Cooling Drying Relaxing Moistening

Do not use leaves, bark, stems, green berries, or unripe fruit internally. Raw or unripe fruit and other plant parts contain cyanogenic compounds and can cause significant GI illness. Correct species identification matters.

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), historical botanical illustration

Growing and using it

Life cycle

Deciduous perennial shrub.

What to buy

An American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) shrub, ideally a named fruiting cultivar such as Adams or York. Plant at least two compatible cultivars for better fruit set.

Best way to start

Potted shrub or rooted cutting.

Seed starting

Possible but slow and requires prolonged dormancy treatment; not recommended as the main method.