Elderberry belongs to the honeysuckle family. The plant can grow up to 10 meters in height. Its flowers are white or pale yellow in color with a delicate pleasant aroma. Elderberry begins to bloom in May and continues to delight with its fragrant flowers until June. The berries ripen only in August-September. The elderberry fruits are oblong and dark purple in color.
For a long time, leaves and young shoots have been used as ingredients for vitamin salads along with other medicinal herbs. Basically, elderberry has a diuretic effect and can be used as a laxative.
The healing qualities of the black elderberry have long been known, and the fruits of the red elderberry are very poisonous and it is strictly forbidden to use it for humans. Flowers, leaves and, less often, elderberry bark are used as a medicine.
Elderberries are also used in the wine production process. Fermented raw materials are used to make strong drinks, such as vodka. By adding elderflower flowers to homemade wine, it gives it a delicate nutmeg aroma. In the distillery industry, elderberries were used to color drinks, as well as to give them aroma and color.
This plant is used as a base for most dyes. In combination with vitriol, it gives a black color to the fabric; when alum is added from elderberries, a dark blue color is obtained. In the villages, girls dyed their eyebrows with berry juice in order to give them a richer color. Even regular ink uses elderberry juice for writing.
It is used as a prophylactic agent for stomach diseases, neuralgia, skin diseases. Elderberry is mainly used as a complementary medicine, for example, for skin and stomach cancers.
For medicinal purposes, elderberries are used both fresh and dried.
Infusions and decoctions of flowers are the best remedy for colds and respiratory diseases. Since this medicinal plant is considered an excellent diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory agent, a decoction from it will help quickly put a sick person on his feet. You can prepare the product as follows. Pour one tablespoon of flowers with one glass of boiling water and leave for about 15 minutes. The broth should be taken 2-3 times a day for half a glass, heated. You can also use this drug for rheumatic diseases.
Elderberry leaves can be used for colds, as well as indigestion or skin conditions. To do this, you need to steam the leaves and apply to the sore spot, after which the disease will recede. They are also used to combat chronic constipation. To do this, they should be boiled with honey and consumed internally. Elderberry leaf will also help with hemorrhoids.
A decoction of elderberry flowers is used as a lotion that perfectly rejuvenates and tones the skin. To make it, you will need 10 elderberry flowers and half a liter of water. You can also make ice cubes from this product. It will be a good skin tonic and will help strengthen the capillaries. The tannins found in elderberry will help make the skin tighter and firmer.
You should not use elderberry for people with diabetes insipidus who have individual intolerance, and you should also not take drugs from this plant if there are contraindications to the doctor. This applies only to black elderberry, red is strictly prohibited for people, as it is considered very poisonous.
