09/01/2026
ANCIENT BEGINNINGS AND A SACRED TREE
The elder tree goes back thousands of years. Native to Europe, Asia and parts of North America, it was treated as sacred by many ancient civilizations.
In Greek tradition the elder was linked to Demeter, goddess of the harvest. The Latin name Sambucus is thought to come from the Greek word sambuke, a musical instrument made from elder wood. The tree was seen as protective, and as something that brought good fortune to the household.
In Celtic tradition the elder was a tree of life. The Druids believed that planting one near a home would bring good health and keep bad things away. It was not only the fruit that mattered either. The leaves, flowers and bark all had their uses.
EUOPEAN MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE KITCHENS
Through the medieval period, elderberries moved deeper into everyday use. Monks and herbalists worked them into all sorts of preparations, and elderflower in particular was valued through the colder months. Elderberry syrup became a household staple, and its reputation carried right through the Renaissance and into today, 2026.
The berries also made wine, cordials and jams, and medicinal syrups - a tradition that continues in plenty of cultures today. Elderberry wine sat somewhere between a drink for pleasure and a drink for wellbeing, which feels very familiar. This knowledge was once passed own generationally in families as was the recipe for Elderberry syrups & extracts.
ELDERBERRIES IN INDIGENOUS CULTURES
In North America, Indigenous peoples including the Cherokee and Iroquois used elderberries in their traditional practices. Not just the berries, but the bark and flowers too, prepared as poultices, teas and tinctures.
That knowledge was passed down through generations, and it remains part of native herbal traditions today.
THE MODERN REVIVAL
Elderberries have come back into the light over the last decade, particularly in wellness and natural health. They are naturally rich in vitamins A, C and E and in antioxidants, which help protect cells from free radical damage, and they have become one of the most recognizable names in everyday immunity support.
Which is really just the modern version of what people have always done with them. Simmer them down with honey in autumn, keep a jar for winter.
The plot hasn’t been lost – those in the know of immune system wellness, those of authentic herbalism nature understand the concept of using an ancient herbal such as Elderberry Syrup to defend from cough cold & respiratory illness during the months of less sunlight & more time spend indoors out of fresh air.
A LEGACY WORTH KEEPING
The history of elderberries is a story about culture as much as about health. From sacred trees to the shelf in your fridge, this small berry has held its place for a very long time.
Newby herbalists seem to be willing to minimize the power of Elderberry – the impacts it can have on family bountiful wellness --- they seem to criticize the very berry that is so important and valuable in being well in this weird era of the highest overall illness rates in 75 years. There is a line of thought out there in the junior inexperienced herbalist realm that offering powerful custom herbal formulas is a frowned upon enterprise.
I see it differently, I fully see it as the old-world way of being a herbalist in a community where those in need or those seeking plant-based support reach out the plant wisdom guardian in that community.
Elderberry markets itself. It's been a staple in the human family for thousands of years. I LOVE THAT.
I LOVE the fact that people are leaning back in to their roots & calling upon botanicals to provide optimum wellness.
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