The Elder: A Tree Worth Knowing

There is a moment in early June — blink and you’ll miss it — when the hedgerows along Hertfordshire’s country lanes seem to exhale. Great flat-topped clouds of creamy white blossom appear almost overnight, filling the warm air with a scent that is floral, honeyed, and unmistakably, gloriously English. That’s elder. And if you’re not already on first-name terms with it, now is the time to be introduced.

What is Elderflower?

Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a fast-growing native shrub or small tree, common throughout the British Isles in hedgerows, woodland edges, riverbanks and — if you look carefully — the forgotten corners of older gardens. It’s not showy. For most of the year it’s easy to overlook: a rather untidy, fast-growing thing with pithy stems and slightly pungent leaves. But for two to three weeks in early summer, it becomes one of the most beautiful and generous plants in the British landscape.

The flower heads are broad, flat-topped clusters — botanists call them corymbs — made up of dozens of tiny, five-petalled flowers. They’re creamy white to pale yellow, and the scent on a warm day is something you remember. The UK’s native species, Sambucus nigra, is the one to know. There are ornamental varieties too — the dark-leaved ‘Black Lace’ is striking in a garden border, and ‘Aurea’ has golden foliage — but it’s the plain hedgerow elder that carries the strongest scent and flavour.

A Tree with a Long Story

In almost every European folk tradition, the elder is a tree of enormous significance. Anglo-Saxon herbalists called it Eldrun, from which the name derives. It was said to be inhabited by a protective spirit — the Elder Mother — and in Denmark you had to ask her permission before cutting a branch, or risk bringing bad luck upon the house. In Britain, elder planted near a door was thought to ward off evil and lightning alike.

More practically, almost every part of the tree has been used medicinally for centuries. The flowers are gently diaphoretic — they encourage sweating — making elderflower tea a traditional remedy for colds, fevers and hay fever alike. As Western herbalists, we have a particular fondness for elder: it’s one of those plants that genuinely earns its reputation, backed now by modern research into its antiviral and immune-modulating properties. The berries are equally well regarded — elderberry syrup has become something of a mainstream immune supplement, though herbalists have been recommending it for generations.

In the Garden

If you have space, an elder is worth growing. It establishes quickly, tolerates partial shade, supports an extraordinary range of wildlife — over 300 insect species use it — and self-seeds freely if you let it. ‘Black Lace’ makes a handsome garden shrub with deeply cut, near-black foliage and pink-flushed flowers. It’s particularly lovely underplanted with white alliums or Rosa glauca.

In the Kitchen

Elderflower’s culinary uses are well known: cordial, of course, but also fritters dipped in light batter and dusted with icing sugar, infused into creams and mousses, or floated on a glass of Prosecco. The scent dissipates quickly with heat, so elderflower is best used fresh or cold-infused.

And then there is elderflower champagne — properly fizzy, slightly wild, and one of the great pleasures of an English June.

Elderflower Champagne

Makes approximately 8 litres  ·  Ready in about 1-2 weeks

YOU’LL NEED

• 30 large elderflower heads, freshly picked

• 8 litres cold water

• 700g white caster sugar

• 4 unwaxed lemons, zested and juiced

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

METHOD

1. Give the flower heads a gentle shake to remove any insects — don’t wash them, as you’ll rinse away the wild yeasts that make the fermentation happen. Place in a large, clean bucket or bowl.

2. Dissolve the sugar in 1 litre of warm water, then add the remaining cold water. Pour over the flowers. Add the lemon zest, juice and vinegar, stir well, cover with a clean cloth and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.

3. Strain through muslin into sterilised plastic bottles — plastic is important, as you’ll need to squeeze them to check the pressure. Seal tightly and leave at room temperature for a further 7-9 days (temperature depending), squeezing daily. When they feel firm and hard, the fermentation is complete. Move to the fridge to halt the process.

4. Open carefully over a sink — it will be lively. Drink within 2 weeks.

Pick your elderflowers on a warm, dry morning when they’re fully open but before they start to brown at the edges. The scent should be sweet, not musty. A cluster that smells faintly of cat has gone over — leave it for the insects.

Happy foraging — and do look up when you’re walking the lanes this month.