Elder The Queen of Herbs
Elder is a familiar
sight in the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. It is one of those
plants you probably see everywhere but never realise what it is, or indeed how
useful it can be for you - whether in the garden or in the home. The flowers
and berries can be used to make drinks, edible delights, medicines and
cosmetics.
The masses of
flat-topped, creamy-white flowers start to appear from Mid May if weather is
good, filling your senses with their heady, honey scented aroma. They can
easily be picked for either using fresh, in recipes like Elderflower Cordial;
delicious mixed with spring water - or dried for later use or to last you until
the next years' season.
It can be used fresh
or dried as a base for many recipes. If you have a glut of elderflowers, you
can lay them out to dry for storage, or later use in various guises - tea being
one of the more popular recipes. Elderflower tea can help alleviate hay fever,
colds and flu, and period pain to name a few.
Elderberries start to
appear from the end of September. The glossy black berries hang heavy on red
stalks, ripe for use. Again, they can be used fresh in wines or dried in an
oven, for later use in pies, jams and as a cold or flu syrup. As with
elderflowers, you can store them in brown paper bags in a cool place.
For all those
gardeners out there, you can also use the leaves to make an effective
pesticide. This can combat Carrot Fly and Cucumber Beetle, amongst other pests.
I often make an
Elderflower Infusion ready for use, as it comes in handy - especially if you
have children - a quick dab will help heal cuts and grazes, sun burn, spots,
bites and stings!
You can easily make
your own infusion, by pouring hot water over elderflowers (fresh or dried). You
can then leave it to cool, before straining through a tea strainer or even a
clean piece of muslin or cotton (even a tea towel will suffice!). Once the
liquid has cooled, you can leave it in a small cup in the fridge and use as and
when it is required. It will keep in the fridge for three or four days.
It truly is an
under-used, hidden treasure that is often overlooked but that thoroughly
deserves the title 'Queen of Herbs'.
Sarah PJ White is a
freelance writer and life coach who specialises in self help and general
interest articles. To find out more about Elderflowers and Elderberries, please
check out her new ebook entitled "The Little Book of Elder" at http://www.sarahpjwhite.com
Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sarah_PJ_White/254041
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