Topic
Elderberry
Elder in the garden, at harvest time and in old stories. Our articles explore growing this plant and the place it holds in cultural history.
Section
Harvest
When are the berries ripe, and what matters at harvest time?
Section
Growing elder
How do you plant and prune elderberry in your own garden?
Section
History & tradition
What role did elderberry play in ancient sources and in the customs of different cultures?
Story
The Holler-Frau: Elder in European Folk Belief
From the Danish Hyldemoer to the English Old Lady: stories of a figure living in the elder, and what can be said about her connection to Frau Holle.
Deep dive
Elder in Antiquity: what Dioscorides and Pliny actually write
What do Dioscorides and Pliny write about elder? A look at the ancient texts and the question of which species each passage describes.