L'Herbier de France Organic elderberry - 25g -

Many legends surround the elder tree and the afterlife. It is said that the cross of Jesus was made from elder wood and that Judas hanged himself on an elder tree. Among the Celts, the elder is the thirteenth and final tree in the calendar. It loses its leaves relatively late in the year, sometimes only when the new leaves begin to sprout. Elder is believed to protect the home, and woe to those who burn elder wood, for it is said that nymphs and sylphs reside there.

Elder is both revered and simultaneously cursed as the tree of Judas, during the time when Christianity spread in Gaul and pagan customs disappeared. The Celts carved flutes from elder wood to connect with the deceased. The Latin origin, sambucus, is somewhat confusing: in the Bible, the sambuca is mentioned as a musical instrument, a type of harp. In Latin, sabucus means elder. And because flutes were carved from elder branches, the word sambucus also meant to play the flute.

Elder bushes are often found near farms, where the soil is enriched with animal dung. Elder also frequently grows in old ruins, where its seeds likely arrive through bird droppings. Elder bushes are very low-maintenance and can be easily pruned. During flowering, elder has a very intense fragrance.

Elder has a diaphoretic effect. A cup of 225 g per day is sufficient to flush out toxins through sweating.

Elder is also said to help reduce aggression, especially during times when the body is weakened: at the end of the dark season or during convalescence.

Plant parts: Flower.
Botanical name: Sambucus nigra.