How was the elder named?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

February 7, 2003

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The elder has been a plant deeply respected since Roman times. Its botanical name is the same as its ancient Roman name, Sambucus. The meaning of the Latin name appears lost, though it was thought to derive from the Greek, sambuca, an ancient harp. The etymology does not hold well; elder wood lends more to the manufacture of wind instruments like flutes and pipes because the stems stay small and hollow easily.

Plant of the Week 02/03/2003

Elder (Sambucus nigra)
Plant of the Week 02/03/2003

The name elder comes from the Northern European countries. In Middle English dialects, the plant was variously called eldre, eldyr, ellerne, ellarne, and ellen-tree. The Century Unabridged Dictionary (1889) reports these to have derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ellen and ellaern. Elders frequently grow on disturbed soils like hedgerows and roadsides. Mrs. Grieve in A Modern Herbal (1931, reprinted 1996) reported that superstition forbade the cutting and burning of Ellan wood, ill-luck was sure to follow those who did not respect the elders growing on the waysides.

The Century Unabridged offered other Middle English dialects for the tree--hilder, hiller, hellerne, and helderne. These names appear related to the older Scandinavian or Teutonic names--Danish, halder, hyld, or hylde-trae, Norwegian, hyll or hylle-tre, and Swedish, hyll or hylle-trä. The elder was believed inhabited by Hyldemoer, a dryad or wood-nymph, considered the mother of all elders. The Germans showed their respect by tipping their hats whenever they passed a holuntar, holander, or hohlunder along a road.

To view a photograph of an elder, see the Plant of the Week, February 3, 2003.

http://www.killerplants.com/plant-of-the-week/20030203.asp

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Intensely flavored fruit with a rich aroma. Bountiful harvest ripens in August. Extremely hardy, tall shrub grows to 12-14 ft. No spraying required-both varieties are practically pest-free. Plant two varieties for improved pollination, extended harvest period and top yield. York-Quickest to bear, often in its second year. Ripens late August. Nova-Great for pies, jelly and wine. Ripens two weeks before York. 3-inch pots. Zones: 4 - 8 (-20° F.) Click here. (Duo)

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Comments: Excellent berry size, largest of all. Lovely fall foliage. Bright white flowers in the spring. Highest of all in Vitamin C. Excellent pollinator for other elderberries. Can bear as early as the second year. Last to ripen.

The elderberry has been used for myriad medicinal purposes for millennia. The berries and flowers are used in home-made wines. Dried elderberries and their blossoms are used in tea, which reputedly helps to reduce fever and improve digestion. The fruit is high in vitamin C. The flower-tops possess a mild floral flavor and are often used in pancakes, or dipped in batter & fried. The Joy of Cooking recommends combining the fruit with rhubarb in cooking (it also recommends cooking the flowers with gooseberries).

The American goldfinch, brown thrasher, gray catbird, northern mockingbird, and yellow warbler nest in elderberries (Ortho: 32-33). The berries are eaten by the pileated woodpecker, mockingbird, gray catbird, brown thrasher, American robin, bluebird, thrush, cedar waxwing, northern and orchard orioles, tanager, black-headed and evening grosbeaks. Butterflies visit elderberry flowers for the nectar.

Many of the fruits are native species that grow wild in various parts of the country. They are very adaptable and generally carefree. A few are delicious when eaten fresh; others make excellent desserts and wines. Native Fruits!

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Native Fruits!