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Author Topic: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?  (Read 6912 times)

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
« on: July 06, 2013, 09:17:44 pm »
What with all the discussions around home brewing recently, just realised our Elderflower tree had succumbed to the Devonelite treatment  ::) - so no flowers or berries for wine making  :(
 
However, our Black Elder has managed to survive & is full of lovely pink blossoms  :thinking:  does anyone know if it's ok to use these in place of the standard elderflower for home brewing or are we likely to make ourselves ill  :unwell:  I can't seem to find any info about it - just wondered if there was a reason the Labradors had left it alone  ???
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2013, 11:18:19 pm »
Not tried myself but a search turned up this which mentions brewing:

http://www.paghat.com/elderblackbeauty.html

Do remember that the greenery on Elder can be poisonous, you only want berries or flowers.

Dans

9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

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Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2013, 07:29:26 am »
Thanks Dans  :wave:
I think we'll give it a go & make a small amount, then try the berries later in the year for wine (if the cordial's ok).  We'll go & forage some of the wild stuff too, just in case - the dogs will like a run up the cwm today as it's nice & cool there on a  :sunshine:   hot day like today  ;D
I may find some elder saplings down there that might like a new home too  ;)
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2013, 09:12:21 am »
Good question! Our black elder is in flower too, so we thought we'd try using some today, as well as foraging some white elder from the golf course.

Interesting link - I think ours will be coppiced this winter  :innocent:

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2013, 10:55:54 pm »
Didn't get time to forage today - outlaws visiting tomorrow, so had to do some cleaning  :o
Lucky really, as we have had to order the citric acid as not even the Boots in town keeps it in stock  ::)
Wow - wasn't  it  :sunshine: :sunshine: :sunshine:  today?
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not?
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2013, 04:15:29 pm »
Does anyone know if the Sambucus Nigra Black Lace is safe to use for Pink elderflower Champagne ?
Graham

 

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