Most people know the Elder by its remarkable twigs, which are stout but brittle, since they hold the thickest pith of any tree. Children hollow them out to make pea-shooters or musical pipes. As further clues to its identity, the twigs are often angular and bear corky pores vertically disposed on their grey-brown bark. The leaves and all green tissues hold a glucoside related to prussic acid, and are distasteful to livestock.
In June the fragrant white flowers of the Elder open in perfusion in large loose clusters above the foliage. Elderflower water was once used to flavour cakes and wines, or to add scent to cosmetics.
The lustrous purplish-black berries, which ripen in late September, can be eaten raw but they have an insipid taste. Country people still bake them in pies, or ferment them into wine; if dried they can be used like currents. Birds love them.
A useful plant for wildlife and should be considered in planting schemes and as a garden plant. The showy white flowers are an excellent nectar source for many invertebrates and the berries are an important food for many birds which disperse the seeds in their droppings.
At Trebrown Nurseries we maintain our own registered seed stands on Trebrown Farm, which remain the only seed stand registered in Cornwall. Elder is not a FRM controlled species, but is certified under the voluntary FRM scheme.
