Any elderberry experts out there?

[Graybeard]

Do we have anyone who is knowledgeable about elderberry? I bought several bushes earlier this year and added them to my orchard. They are now up a couple feet or so high and all but one that I got with the string trimmer when I let the grass grow too high around them and failed to see it are doing OK.

But I think I've now found them growing wild on the peninsula of my pond. I'll try to attach the image below if it's not too large a file to attach.

[Graybeard]

Yeah that worked so now I'll try a wider view of it also but am pretty sure this one is even a larger file.

[Cornbelt]

Didn't know you could buy them. They grow wild around here. One of my favorite places is at the base of a highline tower where the power company seldom gets around to trimming, but when they do, it always grows back.  Don't know what's in elderberries, but the wine is supposed to be good for rhumatism. Maybe just because it's wine?

[Hairy Clipper]

Bill,

I am not an expert, but, I have been an elderberry fan since I was a kid...now 57 years old.  Yes, those are elderberries in your photos.  They can be grown from the seed in them if you wish.  Some uses are, wine, jellies, syrup, soft drinks.  The flowers are used for a very wonderful hot tea.  The tea can be found in stores occationally.  They grow wild in many parts of the good old USA.  Drive around the countryside in the spring and you will see many bushes with the familiar white flowers on them.  Mark the location on the map and then watch...get to them before the birds do, they love them and they will be gone soon!Other than that I don't kow much about them...I just keep using them though.

Hairy

[charles p]

Anybody know if they are native to Eastern NC?  Looks like something I've seen before but could not identify.  Do they grow naturally along the edge of the woods or in laid out lands.  Would they grow in a cutover? 

[Graybeard]

When I looked up their range I found that indeed they are native to most of the eastern half of the nation. I was a bit surprised as I don't recall ever seeing one growing here in Bama until I saw those down on the peninsula of my pond. Perhaps they were here all along and I just never noticed.

[Ranger J]

While the ripe berries are yummy and good many parts of the plant are poisonous.  Children used to get poisoned from making whistles and blowguns from the hollow stems.  The leaves and branches make a good yellow dye with an alum mordant and a good gray color with iron mordant.

RJ

[jedman]

 Bill,  As others have told you, those are elderberies. I have seen them in the wild from Canada to Florida,
Here in Ohio I grow them , 2 hybrid varities for wine making because of the larger berries.
They grow wild in areas where there is good moisture in the soil and like alot of sun.  I have seen them growing in woods where they get very little sun but they dont get any berries either. Many birds and other animals eat them they are HI in vitimin C and antioxidents, I dont eat them but love to drink them as wine.

[docmagnum357]

We made jelly and wine from elderberries.  As others intimated, they like wet places best, and do better with a lot of sun.  Pond or ditch banks, wet places along roads.  If you indulge in a little wine from time to time, there is no fruit wine finer.  same with jelly.  Be careful in either case not to harvest too green, which is tempting to beat the birds, and be sure to seperate all the stalk from the berries, which is easier said than done.  We use a Squeezo strainer for almost everything, and you can, but don't scratch, bruise of crush the seeds.  Makes me crave a glass or two of the pure, you talking about it....

[nuclearmac]

not a expert ,but as far as wine making ,easy way to get berries off of stems is put them in freezer for awhile than they almost fall off..