Elderberries

[GrannyG]

Homemade Elderberry Syrup

Posted By Stacy On February 2, 2016 @ 7:00 am



Homemade Elderberry Syrup

• 1 cup dried elderberries
• ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 3 cups water
• ¾ cup RAW honey

1. Bring elderberries, blueberries, and water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain liquid out into a bowl.
4. Using the back of a spoon, press lightly on berries to get all the liquid out.
5. Make a mess to make Stacy feel better about herself.
6. Cool mixture slightly and then add honey. Stir to dissolve.
7. Pour into storage bottle and cool completely before refrigerating.

Mixture will keep for 3 months in fridge.

Take 1 tablespoon daily to boost immunity for adults – 1 teaspoon for children

If sick, take that same amount hourly.

Yield: about 2 cups

 

[SheepDog]

I make my own blueberry syrup but I don't have a recipe, I just put the frozen or fresh blueberries in the blender and then bring them to a boil. Once boiling I reduce the heat to a simmer and let the mixture reduce to about half. I then add sweetener (sugar or honey or maple syrup) to taste. I like a tart syrup so I use less sugar than most. It is especially good on sourdough pancakes and sourdough biscuits. I do the same with strawberries and blackberries too.

 

[goshengirl]

I never thought to make elderberry syrup with blueberries, too - now I'm looking at this recipe and thinking "duh!"

Thank you for posting - I needed this!

 

[Weedygarden]

I have always wondered where I could get ahold of some elderberries. It never occurred to me that you could buy them dehydrated. Thank you.

 

[goshengirl]

@Weedygarden, here you go: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/elder-berries/profile

 

[goshengirl]

Well shoot, Weedy, I just noticed they're out of stock. But in general, Mountain Rose Herbs is a pretty good bet.

ETA: With all that flu going around, they may very well be hard to get right now.

 

[Weedygarden]

@Weedygarden, here you go: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/elder-berries/profile

Thank you. I saw they are out of stock now, but I can check back later.

Can you grow elderberries in the U.S.? If so, does anyone here grow them?

 

[goshengirl]

@Weedygarden, here's another good vendor, but they're also out of stock: https://www.bulkherbstore.com/elderberries-whole-organic-1-2-lb

 

[goshengirl]

Yes, they're very common in our area. I have plenty in our current yard, and I can't wait to find out this spring how many we have on our new property! My only problem in collecting them is getting them before the birds do!

 

[kappydell]

I dehyderated a lot of the huge batch my brother gave me before he cut the bushes back, and made schnapps with some of them. Whew! Potent, but tasty, just what I like when I'm coming down with some bug.

 

[Weedygarden]

@Weedygarden, here's another good vendor, but they're also out of stock: https://www.bulkherbstore.com/elderberries-whole-organic-1-2-lb

Thank you. I will keep an eye out for them when they might be back in stock.

 

[goshengirl]

I dehyderated a lot of the huge batch my brother gave me before he cut the bushes back, and made schnapps with some of them. Whew! Potent, but tasty, just what I like when I'm coming down with some bug.

How do you do/make that?
(forgive me if it's obvious - I've never had Schnapps and have no idea how one would make elderberry schnapps)

 

[Weedygarden]

I dehyderated a lot of the huge batch my brother gave me before he cut the bushes back, and made schnapps with some of them. Whew! Potent, but tasty, just what I like when I'm coming down with some bug.

I would think the shelf life would be much longer for schnapps than for syrup.
I like the idea of having dehydrated berries, because the shelf life must be a few years, if they are properly dehydrated and stored.

 

[Peanut]

I grow my own elderberry. I needed to cut mine back this winter but they started putting on leaves before Christmas. I'll get them around thanksgiving next time.

 

[snappy1]

I have always wondered where I could get ahold of some elderberries. It never occurred to me that you could buy them dehydrated. Thank you.

I bought mine off of eBay but they are powdered so no straining or cooking down, just mix with water and add sugar or honey! Powdered seems to be the most cost effective way to buy, at least for me!

 

[buildit]

I supposedly have several of these trees around the yard and will try to harvest them for the first time this year. Hope they taste good. LOL

 

[GrannyG]

I have even dehydrated the tiny white elderberry flowers....put in lined cheesecloth so they do not fly all over and made tea with them in the winter....

 

[camo2460]

I supposedly have several of these trees around the yard and will try to harvest them for the first time this year. Hope they taste good. LOL

Be careful not to Eat the unripe Berries as they are Toxic, Ripe Berries should be Cooked before Eating.

 

[Meerkat]

Yes, they're very common in our area. I have plenty in our current yard, and I can't wait to find out this spring how many we have on our new property! My only problem in collecting them is getting them before the birds do!

Same with our Mulberry tree, never get a chance at any fruit squirrels and birds get them first. Thanks fro info on site.

 

[buildit]

For years I was under the understanding they Rassberry looking fruits were poisonous and I ended up with them all over my shirt when I would mow the yard. If I'm right I have at least three trees and only competition for them is the birds.

 

[GrannyG]

Recipe here for elderberry gummies

https://www.naturalpaleofamily.com/homemade-elderberry-syrup-gummies-recipe/

 

[catsraven]

Hardiness Zone for elderberry is 3-10

 

[viking]

Be careful not to Eat the unripe Berries as they are Toxic, Ripe Berries should be Cooked before Eating.

The blue Elderberries in Washington and here in Oregon can be eaten raw, however some people do have problems from what I've read, they could cause vomiting, but I grew up with the knowledge that it was the red elderberries that could make you sick. I've eaten a lot of blue elderberries without any problems, the best way I've had them is elderberry wine. I know that all other parts of the plant are toxic.

 

[Grizzleyette___Adams]

https://www.frontiercoop.com/frontier-organic-whole-elderberries-1-lb/




ETA: whoops, nevermind...they are out of stock!

So is Starwest Botanicals...

 

[snappy1]

The blue Elderberries in Washington and here in Oregon can be eaten raw, however some people do have problems from what I've read, they could cause vomiting, but I grew up with the knowledge that it was the red elderberries that could make you sick. I've eaten a lot of blue elderberries without any problems, the best way I've had them is elderberry wine. I know that all other parts of the plant are toxic.

In Florida, I grew up eating the black ones raw with no problems. I was told and have read since that it is the stems that are toxic. My mom always drove us kids crazy making sure we got all the stems out so she could make a pie, jelly or wine.

 

[Terri9630]

Saving for later.

 

[Peanut]

I just noticed my elderberry bushes are really putting on leaves!

 

[viking]

There is an old saying, Fox Fire?, that were ever an elderberry bush is growing that water is about 10 feet down, don't know how accurate that is but most of the elderberry I see growing is generally in semi-swampy areas.

 

[Peanut]

There is an old saying, Fox Fire?, that were ever an elderberry bush is growing that water is about 10 feet down, don't know how accurate that is but most of the elderberry I see growing is generally in semi-swampy areas.

I would disagree with the locations. Elderberry, like many plants, does well near water. However, it does grow in very dry locations. I would recommend that anyone new to plant medicine only hunt for Elderberry in very dry locations for a very important reason. There is another plant in the eastern US that only grows in wet locations. It's blooms and leaves are very similar to elderberry to the untrained eye. I can tell the difference at 60mph while driving.

That said I have seen elderberry and water hemlock (Cicuta virosa) growing with in 50ft of each other in wet locations. Every summer herbalists I know start posting warnings about these 2 similar plants (blogs, FB etc). Elderberry is a wonderful medicinal plant. Water hemlock will give you the most painful death of any North American plant in about 3 hours after ingestion.

Ancient lore says that the ancient Greek philosopher "Socrates" was murdered with water hemlock... The plant was brought here from Europe for that purpose. However, it has found another purpose among modern herbalists. A pain reliever more potent than any opium based drug is made from it and it's non addictive... You have to be very careful with it, I won't touch the plant without wearing thick oven cleaning gloves and a breathing mast... don't want to end up like Socrates!

 

[Dutchs]

I have always wondered where I could get ahold of some elderberries. It never occurred to me that you could buy them dehydrated. Thank you.

@Weedygarden , Do you have a place you can plant? I have a dozen nice plants. If you do I would gladly send you cuttings from the two different types. You could have your own. They grow like crazy with practically no care......