Organic dried Elderflower (Sambucus) flowers on stems, European elder, Wild grown
We are gladly presenting to you these organic-grown flowers from our homestead! Description: Sambucus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly called elder or elderberry. The genus was formerly placed in the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, but was reclassified as Adoxaceae due to genetic and morphological comparisons to plants in the genus Adoxa. Usage: Elderberry fruit or flowers are used as dietary supplements for minor diseases such as flu, colds, constipation, and other conditions, often served as a tea, extract, or in a capsule.[6] There is insufficient research to know its effectiveness for such uses, or its safety profile; however, no illnesses caused by elderflower have been reported. Food The French, Austrians and Central Europeans produce elderflower syrup, commonly made from an extract of elderflower blossoms, which in central Europe is added to Palatschinken filling instead of blueberries. People throughout much of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe use a similar method to make a syrup which is diluted with water and used as a drink or as a flavoring in several food products. Fruit pies and relishes are produced with berries. Romanians produce a traditional soft drink in May and June called "socată" or "suc de soc". It is produced by letting the flowers macerate with water, yeast and lemon for 2–3 days. The last stage of fermentation is done in a closed pressure proof bottle to produce a fizzy drink. The beverage has also inspired Coca-Cola to launch an elderflower-based drink, Fanta Shokata. Potential toxicity Although the ripe, cooked berries (pulp and skin) of most species of Sambucus are edible, uncooked berries and other parts of plants from this genus are poisonous. Leaves, twigs, branches, seeds, roots, flowers, and berries of Sambucus plants produce cyanidin glycosides and alkaloids, which have toxic properties. Ingesting a sufficient quantity of cyanidin glycosides and alkaloids from berry juice, flower tea, or beverages made from fresh leaves, branches, and fruit has been shown to cause illness, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and weakness. In August 1983, a group of twenty-five people in Monterey County, California became suddenly ill by ingesting elderberry juice pressed from fresh, uncooked Sambucus mexicana berries, leaves, and stems. The density of flavonoids (including cyanidin glycosides) is higher in tea made from flowers than it is in berries, and overall density of cyanidin glycosides is lower in flowers and berries collected from low-altitude trees compared to those at higher elevations. Color Elderberries are rich in anthocyanidins that combine to give elderberry juice an intense blue-purple coloration that turns reddish on dilution with water. These pigments are used as colorants in various products, and "elderberry juice color" is listed by the USFDA as allowable in certified organic food products. In Japan, elderberry juice is listed as an approved "natural color additive" under the Food and Sanitation Law. Fibers can be dyed with elderberry juice (using alum as a mordant) to give a light "elderberry" color. Traditional medicine Although practitioners of traditional medicine have used black elderberry for hundreds of years, including as wine intended for treating rheumatism and pain from traumatic injury, there is no scientific evidence that such practices have any beneficial effect. Additionally, black elderberry has been utilized as a treatment for flu symptoms. While some preliminary research indicates that elderberry may relieve flu symptoms, the evidence is not strong enough to support its use for this purpose. Please note, that these are air-dried flowers and there may be some variations of color and shape(color can be more or less intense due to difference of weather conditions). Also if you need you can find a listing with OZ instead of grams here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/711868181/12-oz-of-organic-dried-elderflower
