The boiled flowers of elderflower, warm in a cloth wrap, serve as compresses for swellings and bruises.

The bark of elder acts as a laxative, emetic, and diuretic, while the leaves function as an external emollient and healing agent and internally as a laxative, expectorant, diuretic, and diaphoretic.

The flowers possess diaphoretic and anti-catarrhal properties, and if taken preventively, help support the upper respiratory system, making it easier to deal with pollen allergies. The fruits act as a diaphoretic, diuretic, and laxative.

All aerial parts of the plant are useful. The leaves are used for bruises, sprains, wounds, and chilblains. The flowers are ideal for treating colds and influenza and for catarrhal inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, such as hay fever and sinusitis. The fruits have similar properties to the flowers and are also useful for rheumatism. For colds and fevers, elderflower can be combined with mint, yarrow, or hyssop. For influenza, it combines well with eupatorium perfoliatum, and for catarrh with solidago.

Usage: Prepared as an infusion. Pour a cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of dried or fresh flowers, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to three times a day. If we have fresh fruits, we can drink their juice by boiling the fruits in water for 2-3 minutes and then pressing them. We drink 3 tablespoons daily. In tincture form, it is used for colds and influenza or early in the spring to reduce symptoms of hay fever.

Product information:

• Origin: Outside the EU.