Elderberries should be in every yard. This vigorous and adaptable native shrub has something for everyone. We are in the middle of harvest now, and we are overwhelmed by the abundance of berries. Fortunately, we are not the only ones that like to eat them. Over sixty species of birds eat elderberries. If you do not get to them, they quickly disappear.
Wonderful, Bill. We've planted a few elderberries at our new place here. At our last place, there were some bumper crops occasionally (if we got ahead of the birds). One year, we made an elderberry-rhubarb pie. Crunchy, but good. Also, there's a river in western Maine we canoed several years back in the early fall, and we paddled along a mile of dense elderberries hanging over the bank. Never seen anything like it. We filled 2-gallon bags from the canoe, reaching up like Tantalus (but luckier). There was no shortage of waxwings around.
I loved this (as usual), Bill. To be truthful, the title "Elderberry Elexir" caught my eye. I'm quite fond of alliteration.....I didn't know much about elderberries except people in my old neighborhood said that it was a "dirty" tree" due to all the berries that it dropped. Silly! I had to have a 100 yo HUGE tree cut down in my back yard, and now have a space (next to my spice bushes). I'd like an elderberry, but would like it to stay around 5-6 feet. Recommendations? Aunt Carol
Wonderful, Bill. We've planted a few elderberries at our new place here. At our last place, there were some bumper crops occasionally (if we got ahead of the birds). One year, we made an elderberry-rhubarb pie. Crunchy, but good. Also, there's a river in western Maine we canoed several years back in the early fall, and we paddled along a mile of dense elderberries hanging over the bank. Never seen anything like it. We filled 2-gallon bags from the canoe, reaching up like Tantalus (but luckier). There was no shortage of waxwings around.
I loved this (as usual), Bill. To be truthful, the title "Elderberry Elexir" caught my eye. I'm quite fond of alliteration.....I didn't know much about elderberries except people in my old neighborhood said that it was a "dirty" tree" due to all the berries that it dropped. Silly! I had to have a 100 yo HUGE tree cut down in my back yard, and now have a space (next to my spice bushes). I'd like an elderberry, but would like it to stay around 5-6 feet. Recommendations? Aunt Carol
What enticing pictures and process. Thank you Bill