Elderberry, black

Sambucus nigra

The black elderberry, or Holder in southwestern German, belongs to the musk weed family (Adoxaceae). In Europe, it is one of the most common shrub species. Its flowers and fruits are widely used as a remedy, food and dye.

The black elderberry is a strongly branched shrub or tree up to 11 meters high, which can reach an age of up to 100 years. The branches of the elder are often arching. The bark is gray-brown in color and covered with cork pores, which appear as lighter elevations. These elevations are filled with a white pith.
The elder has opposite leaves, almost 12 cm long, with an elliptical shape and serrated edges. The white or slightly yellowish flowers have correspondingly each five sepals, petals, free stamens with yellow anthers and three fused carpels.

In August and September, the drupes, initially red, later black and rich in vitamin C and potassium, begin to ripen. They have a burgundy juice that is difficult to wash out of textiles. As these fruits ripen, their stems also turn reddish. The berries are edible after decoction or fermentation.

Phytotherapeutic use is the dried flowers (elderflowers - Sambuci flos).

Cosmetics: Extracts of Sambucus nigra are used in cosmetic formulations:

Sambucusnigra extract the extract from the flowers of the plant.

Sambucusnigra berry extract the extract from the fruits of the plant

Sambucus nigra water the aqueous solution from the flowers of the plant

1. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/holunder.php
2. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 125-126
3. https://pflanzen.fnr.de/industrial-plants/medicinal-plants/pflanzen-datenbank.
4. https://www.heilpflanzen.online/pflanzenportraits/schwarzer-holunder/