Herb Weavers Journal #135 - 27th May 2025

Elderflower & Berry

Great timing for this post as the Elder flowers are out right now around most of the country. I love seeing the flower plumes come into life on the trees. Elder is one of my favourite trees as a witch. (Remember never to burn the wood witches.)

If we look at both the flower and the berry, does one outweigh the other or do they both do the same thing?

The flower supports respiratory issues and helps with runny noses, catarrh and colds, it is also used in fever remedies and have also been used to support healthy fever management. Traditionally herbalists have suggested using the flowers as a daily treatment to help with hay fever and other allergy symptoms. It is also considered a useful topical anti-inflammatory and and can help calm irritated skin.

The berries by the way are toxic when raw/green, so slightly heat them to cure that issue. The berries are a strong anti-viral and have high levels of Vit A and C, so make great cough mixtures and tonics during the coughs and colds season.

Both help with sinus issues and keep our blood nice and healthy too. They are both rich in bioactive compounds that can help reduce blood sugars, assist with weight loss, and even improve blood pressure too.

Researcher has also shown that people who took supplements made from elderflowers and elderberries also experienced, on average -

• 3% reduction in body mass index (BMI)

• Weight loss of seven pounds (3.2 kilograms)

• Over 5% decrease in systolic blood pressure

• Over 2.5% decrease in diastolic blood pressure

Plus their physical and mental well-being as well as their overall quality of life improved. What a fabulous little plant.