Elderberries are old school berry bushes which used to grow wild. Two related varieties exists, one originated in Eastern Europe the other from Eastern North America. Early settlers in the New World used to look for elderberry bushes when choosing plots of land to homestead. It was generally considered that if elderberries were growing on a plot of land that it was a sign of good soil.
Growing zone: 3 to 8
Time to maturity: 2 to 3 years
Pollination needs: They can self-pollinate but will do much better when planted with a companion for cross-pollination.
Pruning/Thinning: After 3 years the bush should be established enough to handle thinning of less productive branches, which will improve ventilation.
Harvest time: Most ripen from late July to early August.
In the spring elderberry bushes bloom with a striking array of fragrant flowers. The flowers have a lot of medicinal value for stomach ailments. The berries themselves, when cooked and eaten help boost the immune system. Both the flowers and the berries are known for having strong antioxidant properties.
The berries should not be eaten raw as they can tend to cause a mild stomach irritation. The chemicals responsible break down quickly when cooked. Elderberries will draw birds initially, but the birds eventually develop the same stomach irritation and give up on foraging in the area. As a result elderberries are a nice companion plant for cherries, sour cherries and strawberries.
The bottom line is that elderberries are not the sort of thing you grow for the sake of chowing down on a pile of berries. They are only worth considering if you are going to explore and exploit their medicinal value.
Long term storage options: The flowers can be dried and saved as tea. Or they can be slowly brewed and blended with sugar needed pectin, to make a jelly which can be canned and put up in a cool dark place for up to six months.
The ripe berries can be put up as jam for up to two years. The juice of elderberries makes a wine so tart that drinking a single glass of it may inhibit your ability to smile for several months. However when the juice is added to a sweet wine such as raspberry or strawberry it lends brightness while improving the depth of flavor for both ingredients.