Elder is widely distributed in its natural form throughout Europe, and it can also be found in Transcaucasia and even in the northern part of Africa, where the climate is not very arid. Elderflowers are well known for their sweet, peculiar smell, slightly intoxicating, and also for their appearance - elderflowers look like a shield made of many small white, milky or white-yellow stars. Elderberry blooms from May to June, and the fruits ripen until September and remain on the branches for a long time. Thanks to this feature, the elderberry looks very impressive after November, which decorates any garden. elderflowers Properties of elderflowers Externally, the elderberry is a bush 4 to 8 meters tall. The bush is quite thick, in the southern edges the bush becomes woody and can even reach 10 meters. Prone to frost damage, but able to recover quickly. The most famous variety of elderberry – black The healing properties of elderberry flowers of this variety are most strongly expressed. If flowers are mainly used for medicine, then the fruits are also used for jam and jam, they add flavor nuances to pastries and even wine, giving the latter a piquant astringent aftertaste. In addition to healing properties, elder flowers also contain essential oils, resins, acids, carotene, alkaloids and tannins. Elderflowers and their uses As a medicine, elderflowers have been used as a powerful natural diaphoretic agent for colds, angina, bronchitis, and also as a choleretic agent for the treatment of a diseased liver. If you make an infusion of elderflowers, it will also act as a diuretic and cleanse the kidneys. Fruit tincture – a mild laxative. As an ornamental plant, elderberry bushes and flowers are used in gardens and parks, and thick branches and dense leaves allow it to be used as a hedge along roads, around gardens and houses. Elderberry is especially beautiful in autumn, when its leaves acquire a rich red-burgundy color before falling.
