The flowers of the elder, Sambucus nigra, fill the air in spring with a sweet fragrance. Fresh, they can be used, among other things, to make lemonade. By drying them, you can prolong the pleasure throughout the year, particularly as a herbal tea.
Which elder are we talking about?
To begin with, it's essential to correctly identify the plant. Indeed, there are several types of elder, some of which are toxic. It is therefore crucial not to make a mistake. We are referring here to the black elder, or Sambucus nigra, which must not be confused with the dwarf elder, which is toxic.
The black elder is a bush with woody branches that can reach 4 to 5 metres, while the dwarf elder, Sambucus ebulus, is a herbaceous plant that grows up to 1.5 metres and disappears in winter. Confusion mainly occurs when picking the berries for jam. Remember that the fruits of the black elder, edible after cooking, are arranged in corymbs that hang towards the ground, while those of the dwarf elder, which are toxic, stand upright.
For herbal tea, we will look for black elders closest to the species type. Indeed, there are now many horticultural varieties with highly decorative and ornamental characteristics, but which, consequently, have not been selected for culinary use.
I would therefore advise you to choose those for which the harvest period, concerning the fruits, is specified. Thus, apart from the species type Sambucus nigra, you can opt for varieties like Sambucus nigra Haschberg, which will also give you beautiful berries for making jams. Provided, of course, you leave a few flowers on the bush. These berries will also be beneficial for biodiversity. They will provide valuable food reserves for birds, who will undoubtedly visit your garden the following winter.
Sambucus nigra
When to pick elder flowers?
Here, we will harvest the elder flowers. These are very small, have 5 petals, and are grouped in corymbs, a type of flower cluster.
The harvest takes place in spring, during the flowering period, which occurs around late May, although this may vary depending on the region and weather.
How to harvest elder flowers?
Pick the corymbs where the flowers are fully open. To know if it's the right time to harvest, check if pollen sticks to your hand when you brush the flowers. If it does, it's time to pick. Ideally, don't wait too long. The corymbs should not be wilted at all. Indeed, on corymbs that have been flowering for a few days, even if some flowers are still beautiful, others tend to lose petals very easily.
Elder inflorescences are very easy to pick. You won't need scissors, pruning shears, or knives. A simple pinch of the fingers at the base of the flowering clusters will suffice. Shake or tap them lightly to remove the many inhabitants living there. Place the picked flowers gently in a basket, for example. They are quite fragile.
On the left, the small flowers of the black elder seen up close; on the right, a corymb inflorescence
How to dry them?
The flowers being quite small, they dry quickly, in 2 or 3 days, in a shady, dry, and well-ventilated place. Be careful to place the corymbs upside down on a cloth to collect all the petals that will fall during drying. Spread the flowers in a single layer to avoid any risk of mould. And keep them away from light. The flowers are very delicate.
After drying, they should retain a fairly light cream colour and not turn brown.
It's important to note that the flowers are used for herbal tea, not the inflorescences—that is, the flower clusters. Therefore, you need to remove the peduncles—in other words, the flower stems. The easiest way is to wait until the flowers are dry. It will then be easy to separate them and remove the peduncles by holding the stem with one hand while gently squeezing the other around the flowers to detach them carefully from their support. Finish by removing any remaining flowers between two fingers.
This task, though it may seem time-consuming on paper, is not as lengthy as it appears. And while there's no urgency to do it, it will save you a lot of storage space.
How to use dried elder flowers?
Now let's move on to using these dried flowers. As mentioned earlier, the flowers are quite fragile. This is true for most flowers used in herbal tea. Therefore, we recommend infusion (of flowers), meaning pouring boiling water over the flowers. Do not boil them, as decoction is a more intense process usually reserved for roots.
With a well-filled tablespoon for a teapot, you'll get a hot drink with a taste close to the fragrance of your fresh flowers. Don't hesitate to smell the flowers when picking them to ensure you like the scent. Some corymbs may be more fragrant than others or have different olfactory nuances. The taste of your future herbal tea is in your hands—it's up to you to play.
For what benefits?
Elder, in addition to providing a tasty hot drink for winter, has medicinal properties.
It's a perfect plant for relieving minor ailments of the cold season. It is credited with sudorific properties, meaning it helps reduce fever, and diuretic effects. And it may also have an effect on the bronchi. Those familiar with homeopathy may have already made the connection with small lozenges to suck that bear the Latin name of the plant.
Also, note that the black elder has many other uses, particularly its fruits, which can be consumed once cooked. It is undoubtedly a bush to adopt, although it doesn't have as good a reputation in France as in Eastern Europe, where its benefits have long been recognised.
Elderberries can be consumed after cooking.
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