Wildlife Elderberry Bushes
Elderberries are shrubs or in some climates the bushes grow into small trees and are native plants to many of the Southern United States. The strong spicy foliage when crushed was used during the Civil War by Calvary units to strap around the necks of horses to repel flies from the riders. Southern gardeners very well know that planting Elderberry shrubs near a patio will drive away flies from eating areas by insect repellants.The Elderberry can be eaten when fully ripe fresh off the plant or cooked into a battered fritter. Elderberry pies are a Southern favorite, and the berries can be cooked into a delicious jam or jelly, and baked berries are commonly served atop a warm slice of apple pie. The mature flower clusters of Elderberries are pleasantly aromatic when boiled for 15 minutes and strained or filtered into a very tasty and flavorful tea. The flower clusters and Elderberries can be fermented into wine or tasty champagne. The spectacular flower clusters of White Elderberry plants begin blooming in late May and are ideal ornamental flowering shrubs for dark background landscapes. As a healer many Southerners extract the elderberry juice from stem, flower clusters, berries or root parts to use after boiling to cure coughs, cold and respiratory flu symptoms-a tasty Elderberry syrup. The leaves of elderberries are highly colored in the Fall and contrast distinctly when the purplish-black berries ripen in Northern states. In Russia and the Ukraine the Elderberry tree is highly regarded as a medicinal plant. The Elderberries can be eaten when completely ripe or when the berries are cooked, and the berries are a favorite food of many wildlife animals like birds.