Make room for elder

The elder may not be top of your list for garden shrubs, but it's good for blooms, berries and wildlife, says Bob

- Bob Flowerdew

WE have a small native tree that will succeed almost anywhere. It is fast and willing to grow from seed or cuttings. It produces huge panicles of perfumed creamy blooms, followed by edible berries that are full of nutrients and antioxidants. Yet elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is often seen more as a large weed than a useful cropping plant.

Perhaps this disdain comes from the many associations between elder trees and witchcraft. Even today, many are reluctant to cut an elder down, as it is deemed to bring misfortune.

Then there’s the distinct smell to the foliage. Also, a warning: the foliage is inedible. Indeed, in the past, leaves were boiled in soapy water for drenches to kill aphids, carrot root fly maggots and other woes. This is now illegal in the UK, so please don’t try.