MeadowSweet Herbs & Flowers Nursery and Herb Education Centre is now closed for orders from 16 December 2025 until mid-January 2026 while I take a short festive break.
Thank you for your continued support of my small, home-based nursery throughout the past year. I look forward to helping you grow plants for your kitchen, garden, and herbal home remedies cupboard when I reopen in the new year.
Wishing you a peaceful and nourishing festive season.
Minette
In Stock
Elderberry
$9.50
Elderberry is a small tree or shrub growing to 6mx6m at a fairly fast rate. The plant is known as the ‘Medicine Chest’ of the country people for its associated medicinal qualities. Note that all parts except the blossoms and the very ripe berries, are poisenous and should not be ingested. The flowers are used a flavouring to make elderflower tea, or elderflower sparkling wine and eldeflower syrups among many other culinary uses. The berries too are made into syrups or brewed into teas.
Elder has a very long history of household use as a medicinal herb and is also much used by herbalists today. It is mainly the flowers that are used medicinally, and sometimes the berries too. Flower tea is said to relieve seasonal hayfever, and strenghten the immune system. It is astringent and gently stimulant. Flowers are expectorant and pectoral making them good for coughs and chest complaints. Makes an excellent spring tonic. The syrup or oxymel made from the berries are often given in times of cold and flu to help fight infection and ease symptoms.
