Elder (Sambucus nigra)

Elder is a small tree, popular for gardens, providing a display of fragrant flowers and soot-dark fruits.

You can use the flowers create cordial and the fruit for wine and preserves.

According to folklore, if you burn elder wood, you will see the devil, but if you plant elder by your house it would keep the devil away.

The flowers appear in May – June and the vitamin C rich berries ripen in late summer.

Elder is common across the UK and its flowers provide nectar for a variety of insects and the berries are eaten by birds and mammals.

Typically, Elder will grow to between 5 – 7 metres