Elder: Leaves and Wood

What do Elder leaves look like?

Elder Tree with Elder Leaves

Elder leaves, from the versatile Elder tree (Sambucus nigra or related species like Sambucus canadensis), are pinnately compound—meaning they resemble a feather, with a central stem (rachis) and several leaflets arranged opposite each other. Typically, there are 5 to 7 oval leaflets (sometimes up to 9 or 11 in certain varieties), each with sharply serrated (toothed) edges that point toward the tip. The leaflets are dark green on top, lighter underneath, and measure around 2–5 inches long individually, with the whole leaf reaching 6–12 inches or more. They often have a pointed tip and a slightly wedge-shaped base.

A key identifying feature: when crushed or bruised, the leaves emit a distinctive, unpleasant, somewhat rank odor—often described as “catty” or off-putting—which is thought to help deter insects. This smell is quite characteristic and helps distinguish elder from lookalikes.

In spring and summer, the fresh green foliage stands out in hedgerows and gardens, providing dappled shade and attracting wildlife. As autumn approaches, the leaves can turn vibrant shades of yellow, gold, or even reddish-purple before falling. These leaves have long been valued for external remedies, as noted earlier—collected in June and July for infusing into oils or teas for topical use against bruises, sprains, aphids, or flies. Always remember the internal caution: leaf tea acts as a strong emetic and should never be consumed routinely or internally without expert guidance. The tree’s overall graceful, multi-stemmed form and these distinctive leaves make elder easy to spot once you’re familiar with its look and that telltale scent!

Parts Used of the Elder Tree: wood, leaves, flowers, berries; very popular insect and songbird attractor; It’s one of the favorite foods for the mockingbird.

Elder Wood: wood from older trees cuts and polishes easily. Traditionally, this wood, though hard, was used for smaller wooden implements such as pegs, butcher’s skewers, and needles for weaving. The elder is common in parts of Europe as a hedgerow and for fencing. As I mentioned in my last post, elderberry wood can be easily hollowed out to make a flute.

Elder Leaves: Leaves are typically collected in June and July, in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Leaves can be cut and infused with oil, such as olive oil, to make salves and ointments for bruises and sprains. When leaves are crushed, the odor is unpleasant and is thought to deter insects. When made into a tea, the cooled liquid was sprinkled around the garden to keep aphids off other plants and even to ward off blight. If sprinkled on a hat, this tea could prevent flies from swarming around the face. These are external uses. I could not find a consistent use of tea from leaves for everyday use. Historically, tea made from the leaves was an emetic and therefore was used only in an emergency, not every day. Therefore, I recommend using the tea externally only.

Elderberry Dye: For those interested in natural dyes, elderberry offers several options.

In Scotland, the bark of older elders was used as a black dye.
When leaves are mixed with alum, a green dye is created.
When berries are used with alum, you get a blue-purple dye.
The juice of the berries plus alum makes violet.
The juice of the berries, plus alum, plus salt, makes lilac.

For information on making natural dyes, this site is helpful.

Elderberry is one of my favorite plants for winter use. I find discovering other uses helpful and instructive, such as elder wood for needles, etc.
Many of you who are interested in herbal medicine often create versatile medicinal gardens. We look for other uses for these familiar plants.

Enjoy your day. Judith

https://extension.psu.edu/elderberry-in-the-garden-and-the-kitchen