Listing description
Sambucus nigra is a species complex of flowering
plants in
the family Adoxaceae native to most
of Europe and North America.[1] Common
names include elder, elderberry, black elder, European
elder, European elderberry and European black
elderberry.
Detailed description
It grows in a
variety of conditions including both wet and dry fertile soils, primarily in
sunny locations.
Culinary uses
The dark blue/purple berries can be eaten when fully
ripe but are mildly poisonous in their
unripe state.[12] All green
parts of the plant are poisonous, containing cyanogenic glycosides (Vedel
& Lange 1960). The berries are edible after cooking and can be used to
make jam, jelly, chutney and Pontack sauce.
The flowerheads are commonly used in infusions, giving a very
common refreshing drink in Northern Europe and the Balkans. Commercially these
are sold as Elderflower cordial.[13] In Europe, the flowers are made into a syrup or cordial (in
Romanian: Socată, in Swedish:
fläder(blom)saft), which is diluted with water before drinking. The popularity
of this traditional drink has recently encouraged some commercial soft drink producers to
introduce elderflower-flavoured drinks (Fanta Shokata,
Freaky Fläder). The flowers can also be dipped into a light batter and then
fried to make elderflower fritters. In Scandinavia and Germany, soup made from
the elder berry (e.g. the German Fliederbeersuppe) is a traditional
meal.
Both flowers and berries can be made into elderberry wine, and in Hungary an
elderberry brandy is made that
requires 50 kg of fruit to
produce 1 litre of brandy. In south-western Sweden, it is traditional to make a snaps liqueur flavoured with elderflower. Elderflowers are also
used in liqueurs such as St. Germain, and in a mildly
alcoholic sparkling elderflower 'champagne'.
Traditional medicine
This plant is used as a medicinal plant by native
peoples and herbalists.[14][15] Stembark,
leaves, flowers, fruits, and root extracts are used in bronchitis, cough, upper
respiratory cold infections, and fever.[medical citation needed]
Sambucus nigra fruits
and flowers have been used in traditional Austrian medicine - internally
(fruits as tea, jelly, juice, or syrup; flowers as tea or syrup) for treatment
of disorders of the respiratory tract, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and skin,
and for viral infections, fever, colds, and influenza.[16] The first book
about the medicinal properties of the plant was written by German
physician Martin Blochwich in
the 1620s.
The dried corollas and stamens of Sambucus
nigra L. (Sambucus, British
Pharmaceutical Codex, 1949) have been used as a vehicle for eye and skin
lotions, while the fruits are to promote urination.
PRICE
$22.73/KG
For more information:
mobile: +2348039721941
contact person: emeaba uche
e-mail: emeabau@yahoo.com
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