If the plants gathered for a council meeting (as I often imagine they do when we’re not looking), it’s the Elder who speaks first.

Everything else hushes.

Dandelion stops mid-dance, nettle softens her sting, and even the wild hawthorn leans in just a little. Because Elder is… well… Elder. The name itself means wise, and you can feel it in her presence. There’s something ancient about her, something that seems to exist between the worlds.

Some say she is the tree of the Sun and the Moon her creamy flowers opening with the return of light in early summer, and her deep purple-black berries arriving just as we begin to turn inward again. A full cycle. Birth and death. Expansion and contraction.

And if you’ve ever stood beside her, you’ll know she’s not just a plant, she’s an Elder.

Meeting Elder

Elder (Sambucus nigra) is that generous hedgerow guardian we all know or should know. A small tree or large shrub, crowned in frothy white blossoms that smell like summer itself, followed by heavy clusters of dark, purple berries.

She gives us medicine in both forms flower and fruit each with their own power, each arriving exactly when we need them.

Convenient? nope that just plant wisdom at work.

Elderflower: The Summer Healer

Elderflowers are light, bright, and quietly powerful.

They’re best known for their role in colds, flu, and fevers and for good reason. They contain strong diaphoretic and cooling properties, meaning they gently encourage the body to sweat. And sweating, is one of the body’s natural ways of breaking a fever and moving things along.

A hot elderflower tea at the first sign of a cold especially with a bit of peppermint and yarrow is like opening the windows in a stuffy room. Things begin to shift.

But that’s not all.

Elderflower:

• Opens the airways and clears catarrh
• Is a classic remedy for hayfever and sinusitis
• Acts as a gentle detoxifier
• Helps clear infections like acne, boils, and skin rashes
• Works beautifully in lotions as a soft astringent for the skin

There’s also a subtle emotional medicine here elderflower has a way of softening tension, easing anxiety, and inviting a sense of calm clarity.

Like a deep exhale.

On a side note, be warned if you dried a lot of elderflower indoor there will be pollen EVERYWHERE & the smell can sometimes smell akin to cat spray.

Elderberries: The Winter Guardian

If the flowers are the breath of summer, the berries are the deep medicine of winter.

Rich, dark, and strengthening, elderberries are famous for their antiviral action. They’re used in syrups, tinctures, and tonics to both prevent and shorten the duration of colds and flus.

They work, in part, by helping prevent viruses from attaching to the mucous membranes of the nose and throat creating a kind of protective barrier.

Think of them as your herbal bouncer. No nonsense.

Traditionally, elderberries were also used for:

• Chronic rheumatism
• Neuralgia
• Sciatica
• Muscle and joint pain

They’re warming, circulating, and deeply supportive when the body feels cold, stuck, or worn down.

A Plant That Moves Things

One of Elder’s great gifts is movement.

She gets things flowing again whether that’s:

• circulation
• lymph
• sweat
• digestion
• or even stuck emotions

Elder encourages elimination through the skin, bowels, and kidneys gently nudging the body back into rhythm.

And beyond the physical? She asks us to move forward. To look beyond our narrow viewpoint. To step into a wider, wiser perspective.

Folklore & A Touch of Magic

In Celtic tradition, Elder is the tree of witches and the fae.

She’s considered deeply protective often planted near homes to guard against harm (and even lightning strikes). It was said that carrying elder wood could ward off both physical and psychic attack.

And then there’s the old midsummer tale…

Stand beneath an Elder tree at midnight on Midsummer’s Eve, and you might just see the faerie folk passing by.

Would I recommend it?

Well… only if you’re ready to believe what you see.

Working With Elder

Elder doesn’t rush you. She invites relationship.

A cup of tea. A spoonful of syrup. A moment beside the tree.

However you meet her, she offers wisdom not in loud declarations, but in quiet, steady knowing.

So next time you pass an Elder in bloom, stop.

Listen.

She might have something to say.

Love

Laura & The plants