Rediscovering the American Elderberry: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Cultivation

The berry that fed the world

Elderberry is a woody perennial native to both North America (Sambucus canadensis) and Europe (Sambucus nigra) as two separate species. Both have been used for similar purposes across the globe, but looking at historical evidence, more has been written about the European elderberry than the American. That said, the American offers unique properties worth exploring and elevating here in North America, where it has thrived as a landscape plant despite invasive species pressure.

American elderberry seeds have been documented as far back as 16,000 years ago, fossilized in Appalachia alongside maple, St. John’s Wart, bogbean, and birch.¹ Its ubiquity seems to be linked to its cold resistance during the Younger Dryas, during which it spread across the continent. American elderberry has been documented growing in regions as cold as zone 2, while also thriving in places such as modern Florida— zone 10.

The elderberry has been prized as a food and medicine across the planet— it’s rich in vitamins A & C, phosphorous, potassium, and iron, as well as showing antiviral properties, specifically when it comes to respiratory issues.² In Europe, the written history of the elderberry is long and complex, from Hippocrates describing the plant as his “medicine chest” in 400 BC for its wide applications to books written today continuing to advocate for further research of the plant’s potential. However, when writing about the ‘elder tree’, the leaves more often than any other part of the plant were used.

While academic research has focused on the fruit of the European elderberry, Health Canada, the agency responsible for regulating medical claims on dietary supplements in the nation, uses both species interchangeably for medical purposes.³ COVID-19, in particular, brought to light its health benefits around respiratory health after shortages of the antiviral drug Tamiflu.⁴ Today, research is unlocking the truth regarding elderberry’s potential for reducing the length and severity of colds and flu, although more is still to be done.⁵

Now, unlike the tree-like European elderberry, the American is bushier, with shallow, mat-like roots, and can survive in regions with consistently wet soils, while also thriving in well-drained soils. Unlike the European elderberry, the American is much less commonly sold to the general public, despite having better cold hardiness. The primary benefit of the European is more pronounced flavor and aroma, as well as sweeter, bigger berries.⁶

In North America, the plant was used and revered across the entire continent. The elderberry was present at the beginning of history, according to the Hool-poom'-ne, an Indigenous tribe that lived on the east side of the lower Sacramento River, beginning a few miles below the place where the city of Sacramento now stands.⁷ The Iroquois told stories where the elderberry bush was associated with trustworthiness and honesty.⁸

For the Northern Foothill Yokuts, the elderberry harvest in August also announced sugar pine nut harvest and the Coastal Pomo tracked shellfish gathering by the flowering and ripening of the elderberry.⁹, ¹⁰ The plants were managed with controlled burns, which reduced can removal management, and pest pressure, and kept a clear canopy to maximize fruit production. The fruits were also used for dye, the flowers for treating fevers, and the berries were processed by drying on mats in the sun to store for consumption through the winter, which were then cooked into a sauce.¹¹ The young leaves were also used to make an “eye-water”.¹² In many ways, the use of the elder was very similar across the globe.¹³

Archaeobotanical results from former Patwin sites confirm the primary role that elderberries played in many communities— and that “small edible seeds, elderberries, and acorn nutshell comprise the bulk of the archaeobotanical assemblage.” As we’ve covered with regards to acorns, they were, for many communities, the most important wild food for survival, and elderberries showed similar amounts of archaeological remains. While not a direct correlation, it highlights the incredible importance the elderberry played in the survival of communities.¹⁴ These seeds were also charred, again, highlighting the processing that went into the fruit for long-term storage.