Elder (Sambucus Canadensis)

Open elder blossoms. More plump and tightly packed than poisonous things.

 The last post I wrote was about spring's deadly beauty, Water Hemlock. I mentioned then that there are other plants blooming at the same time that look a lot like hemlock, but that were useful, health supporting botanicals. I am delighted to introduce you to one of them, Sambucus, better known as Elderberry. 

Elders blossom in stages. These buds haven't opened yet.

 The flowers of elder have a more graceful and less "fire cracker" in appearance than hemlock, and the leaf shape is also quite different. Technically, the leaf and bark of elder are poisonous, but rather than causing seizures and death they usually only cause vomiting or diarrhea. NOT that this is a good thing, but it explains the traditional uses for those parts of the plant for those purposes, (traditional healers used purging as an acceptable form of therapy in certain instances) and also gives you a good excuse to avoid using them. Hint, hint. Don't use them.

Elder old growth trunk and newer growth branches.

 This particular elder is pretty sturdy looking, and now that the brush has been cleared away from it and it can get more light it has been putting out a tangle of new growth over the last couple of years. It is probably Sambucus canadensis, which is a native plant so closely related to the European Sambucus nigra that they are interchangeable for most herbal purposes. Awesome, because most of our extant literature on Sambucus refers to S. nigra.

As I mentioned, the bark and leaves are no longer used internally, but the leaves can still be made into an excellent salve to promote healing of wounds and ulcers and to help clear bruising. The flowers have a traditional role in helping the body deal with fevers, especially when made as a tea with yarrow and mint, and to clear the lungs when there is a lot of inflammation and mucus. 

The berries are the most commonly used portion nowadays, especially during cold and flu season. Some studies indicated that they may help stimulate the immune system against viral challenges. Traditionally, they were used for their expectorant qualities, as a food, and to "build the blood", or increase iron levels, in anemia.

Perhaps the most interesting herbal uses for Elder, to me at least, is the record of its use for infants and children. A tea made from the flowers was given to infants in two types of cases: the first was if the newborn was having difficulty transitioning from the womb into the world. In other words, the baby, for whatever reason, was having difficulty getting all of its systems online- the kidneys and liver were stressed and couldn't cope with suddenly having to perform all of the necessary functions without the mother's help it had come to expect. Elderflower was also a valued remedy for seizures in children and infants. Considering Elder's affinity with fevers, it would make sense especially if they were febrile seizures- this was before modern drugs that can be routinely given to suppress dangerously high fever, and febrile seizures would have probably been more common.  That, however, is mostly speculation on my part. The old literature doesn't give any more information than just infantile seizures in general. Older children were given elderflower tea for chronic respiratory afflictions- things like asthma, and blocked hearing from mucus and fluid build up.

Besides the historic and traditional value, Elderflowers and berries are also just plain tasty. The flower buds can be made into pickles (who needs capers, fancypants?), the flowers are great for wine, "champagne" (a bubbly, lightly fermented soft drink), or syrup. The berries make lovely syrup, jelly, pie, or cordial, or even a fruity sort of gourmet ketchup. Just make sure the berries are fully ripe and dark blue or purple before you indulge- green or red ones will give you a bellyache! 

 

Elder trunk with honeysuckle vine and baby blackberry plants- trifecta of awesome!

Water Hemlock: Cicuta maculata

There are many beautiful herbs blooming this time of year. Honeysuckle, dog roses, black berries, sweet shrub and too many others to name. Queen Anne's lace, one of my personal favorites, is especially pretty right now, but did you know that it has a beautiful and deadly look alike?

I'm not exaggerating. Both plants are in the Apiaceae family, so they have quite the family resemblance to the unaccustomed eye. However, the root of one can kill you within fifteen minutes, while the other is a harmless (and edible!) "wild carrot." Oh, and throw Elder (Sambucus canadensis) into the fray as well. Our fatal beauty can be confused for Elder, also.  

So what is this plant, of such beauty and such deadliness? Meet Cicuta maculata, the Spotted Water Hemlock.

 Hemlock is a great example of why any responsible forager or herbalist will look at you like you are nuts if you tell us that you like to use your "instincts" and nibble on plants you know nothing about. "Surely, if it is bad for me, my body will tell me so! It will taste bad, or I will simply 'know' not to eat anymore," you so naively defend your position.  

No, you won't. And if you insist on doing it anyway, then you deserve the painful, horrible death that awaits you. Here's a no-punches pulled description by the CDC of a case of hemlock poisoning. For the record, most things won't kill you quite as dead quite as quickly as hemlock, but most things won't taste as nice doing it, either.

 
Because, that's the tricky thing about Hemlock. The smell of the leaves and roots are similar to parsnips, or anise. On the rare occasion that someone survives ingestion, they say that it wasn't bad at all. Livestock eat it without a second thought.

 Plants like Hemlock are why we try so hard to explain that 'natural' doesn't necessarily mean safe. They are the reason we always tell people to check three identification guides, and learn from a real live expert. Just in case. . . So please, be safe out there! Use good sense and several field guides, and find an experienced forager to show you the ropes.

Further reading:

Elderberry or Hemlock? A blog post at Eat the Weeds

USDA PLANTS database for Spotted Water Hemlock

USDA PLANTS database for Queen Anne's Lace

Violet Oxymel

Sweet violets are in full swing here on the farm! So far, I have made sweet violet tea, attempted to make sweet violet syrup, and have made two types of violet blossom vinegar. The success with the projects has varied somewhat; the sweet violet tea was surprisingly beautiful, and the vinegars are flavorful and visually stunning, but the syrup accidentally crystalized so I will have to revisit that project later.

The blossoms of purple violets do wonderful things when added to water or vinegar. Here's what they look like in hot water (on the left) and white vinegar (on the right):




I think that the violet infusion would be a lovely menu item for a brunch or tea party (everyone should have tea parties, don't laugh!), and the white vinegar would be very nice for salad dressings or maybe even pickled eggs. Pink like beets, but floral instead of earthy? Yes, please.





But I think the real gem of my violet experiments thus far is Violet Oxymel.

Oxymel is a complicated word for a simple concept: vinegar + honey = oxymel. As a general rule, oxymels are soothing for coughs and sore throats, and a lovely digestive tonic before or after a meal.  They can either be enjoyed by the spoonful without dilution (deliciously sweet and sour), or stirred into a glass of warm or cold water. By infusing the vinegar with different herbs, a rather lively assortment of oxymels can be created. In this case, I used apple cider vinegar, violet blossoms, and local honey.

To make the infused vinegar, use a 1:1 ratio of violets and vinegar. In this case, I used a cup of each. After allowing the blossoms to steep in the vinegar for a week, strain the vinegar through a fine mesh sieve to remove the flowers. The apple cider vinegar won't display as much of a shocking color change, but it definitely takes on a reddish hue.

The ratio of honey to infused vinegar is up to you, but a quarter cup of honey for every cup of vinegar is a good place to start. More honey can always be added if you would prefer that it be sweeter.

Stir the honey into the vinegar. It will usually take a minute or two for the ingredients to mix, so don't worry if the honey seems to clump together at the bottom.

Once the honey has dissolved completely into the vinegar, the oxymel is ready to use!  As a beverage, violet oxymel is especially refreshing  over ice, but tt makes a nice flavored water at room temperature, too. 
  

Other Tips for making Violet Oxymel:

• Use a layer of parchment paper under the lid if you are infusing the violets and vinegar in a canning jar. The vinegar will have a reaction with the metal in the lids and could drip nasty black oxidation into the infusing vinegar. Not tasty! Glass containers with non-reactive lids are definitely better if you have them. 
• Pick violets around noon on a dry, sunny day. The fragrance of the flowers will be at its strongest under these conditions.
• Don't feel bad about picking all the blossoms you need. The purple flowers are just for show- they almost never set seeds! Violets grow a second set of tiny, green flowers in the fall that set seed prolifically. The violets will usually respond to harvesting by producing a second crop of purple flowers, so there will be plenty more in a few days anyway.   
• Use just the blossoms- you don't need the stems. 

Historical Background of Viola odorata

Sweet Violet, Viola odorata, is native to Europe but is very common through out much of the united states. It often grows in lawns and along woodland edges, although it can be hard to spot at first because of its small size. Violet has several properties that merit consideration for household use, especially because it is found so widely in backyards and vacant lots.

There are several culinary uses for Viola odorata. First, the above ground parts are edible. The young leaves can be used as a salad green or lightly steamed much like spinach, while the flowers can be candied, enjoyed as a fragrant tea, or used as a beautiful addition to salads. Violet syrup, also made from the blossoms, is a unique flavoring for desserts and beverages. 

Beyond culinary uses, violet has a historical reputation for being expectorant, ant-inflammatory, diuretic, and alterative.The underground portions of violet should be used with caution if at all, as they have a reputation for being a a very strong purgative and emetic. The leaves and flowers, however, are gentle and mild enough that they were commonly given to children. As a children's herb, Violet was often used to encourage regular bowel movements or to soothe fevers.