The native American elderberry is an important understory tree or shrub in the Blue Ridge and one found throughout the region.
Bruce Ingram
Clay Morris gathering blooms from an elderberry tree.
Of course for generations, mountain folks have brewed elderberry wine, and Elaine and I have made jelly from the berries, which typically ripen in September here. But Sambucus Canadensis has many other uses maintains Berryville’s Clay Morris of Ashby Gap Adventures.
“When the elderberry blooms, the flowers can be turned into a simple syrup,” Morris says. “That syrup can be fermented and turned into a champagne. Some people also really like elderberry pie.”
The berries feature a bittersweet flavor when eaten right off the vine. The purplish/black fruits appear in large clusters which are diagnostic. Besides pies and jelly, elderberry berries can be used in jams, sauces, and bread. Be aware that although the berries and flowers are edible, all other parts of this small tree are poisonous. Also come September, know that the elderberry is an important wildlife food for the region’s mammals and songbirds...so you may have competition.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram will profile a different wild edible every month. For more information on their book Living the Locavore Lifestyle, contact them at bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com.