Elderflower and elderberry

 

Elderflower and elderberry

Some of the flowers are a darker pink.

Our next-door neighbour has a lovely Sambucus nigra variant in her garden. Every year we appreciated its dark foliage and pretty pink sprays of flowers. Eventually, we decided to acquire our own. I was unpacking it, ready to plant it in the garden, when a small piece broke off. I put it in a little pot, not expecting much from it, and, to my surprise and delight, it put down roots and grew. So, now we have two. I have since discovered that it is very difficult to eradicate sambucus as it readily grows from root fragments.

We also have a common elderflower, with green leaves and white flowers. All the elderflowers grow vigorously and attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The berries, which succeed the flowers, are an important food source for birds in autumn.

Of course, they can be used to make elderberry gin, jam, or jelly, if the flowers haven’t already been used in elderflower wine or cordial. Our trees are grown to attract wildlife – they need the flowers and berries more than we do.

It was once believed to have magical powers. Burning the wood might cause the Devil to appear, but growing an elderberry tree next to the house denied him access. Some people call it the Judas tree, because legend holds that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from the branch of an elder tree.

Sambucus is deciduous, so each spring sees a rebirth of fresh growth and life.

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons