Author Topic: Black Elder flowers - poisonous or not? (Read 4342 times)

Beewyched · « **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

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

I can't seem to find any info about it - just wondered if there was a reason the Labradors had left it alone

Dans · « **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

Beewyched · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2013, 07:29:26 am »

Thanks Dans

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

hot day like today

I may find some elder saplings down there that might like a new home too

Rosemary · « **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