Elderflower

It’s found more widely in the northern hemisphere as compared to the southern hemisphere. Its most prominent feature is the small cream colored flower that blooms during the late spring. This houses small blue black or red berries which are a constant source of fascination for herbologists and botanists.

Truly diverse and unlimited in its usage it continues to be experimented with to see what else can be derived from it. In the smaller towns of Europe this plant is used as a dessert with some cinnamon topping and sugary flavouring to add to the aroma. It’s really about extracting the best out of a plant and using that.

It has other uses as well. Many garden lovers cultivate this plant to enhance the visual beauty of the area. This is particularly because of its beautiful flowers, luxuriant foliage and delicious berries. Its properties however make it highly dangerous for rough use.

It has a cyanide called glycoside presents in its roots, seeds and branches. For this reason children should be kept away from consuming any part of this plant. Its berries are to be used only after thorough distillation and checking. Teas that use this plant use only ripe berries as they are not poisonous.

However, being safe never hurts. This flower is indeed mysterious. In popular myth and tradition, this plant was thought to ward off evil and other presences that would harm them. This came mainly from its intimidating presence, the tree. It has also been used in scientific studies to see its effect on flus and viruses.

Its strong medicinal properties make it a good contender against influenza in general. Studies are still underway and some people do use brews made from this plant to eliminate small colds or ailments. Popular songs have also been inspired by looking at the wonder that this plant could achieve.

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