The elder is a much-branched deciduous shrub or small tree, famous for its umbels of white flowers and its clusters of black berries.
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Dipsacales |
| Family | Adoxaceae |
| Genus | Sambucus |
| Species | Sambucus nigra |
It is a much-branched shrub that can reach between 4 and 7 metres in height, with cracked bark and young branches with a white, spongy pith. Its leaves are compound, with several toothed leaflets.
In spring it produces large, flat inflorescences of tiny, highly aromatic white flowers, which in summer give way to clusters of small, round, glossy black berries.
It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and grows naturally in hedgerows, woodland edges, riverbanks and wasteland, wherever the soil retains some moisture.
Its name, “Sambucus”, comes from the Greek “sambuke”, a stringed musical instrument that was once made from the wood of its branches. Syrups, liqueurs and jams are traditionally made from its flowers and fruits.
