09/09/2026
Herb of the week — Elderberry
Trom — Sambucus nigra
She’s turned dark now. The elderflower lace of early summer has given way to heavy black clusters, bowing the branches over hedgerows and old boundaries all across Ireland.
Elder has always held a strange, respected place here. She was known as a fairy tree (a portal, some said) and cutting one down without asking first was considered bad luck. Not a tree to take lightly.
🍇 The berries are one of the richest sources of vitamin C in the hedgerow, traditionally simmered into syrups for winter colds and flu
🍇 Raw berries and stems are not safe to eat — they need to be cooked first, always
🍇 Elder appears in the ogham alphabet, marked by the letter Ruis
🍇 Birds strip the berries fast this time of year, so if you’re gathering, leave plenty behind