Photo by Jess Cole.
Elderberry
I’ve never even seen elderberry, often seen as a "weed," sold in a nursery in the South, despite its well-known medicinal value—not to mention the plant’s dainty white flower and deep purple berries, which attract slews of pollinators and offer great food sources for wildlife. It is a fast grower with a colonizing tendency, though I have trained many into a standard/single trunk form and used them as small trees within the home landscape. I make a hot tea from the elder flowers and a spiced medicinal syrup from the berries each year. I have friends that hollow out the branches and make flutes with their children. It's a great native that has much to offer!
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