Elder

This is the native blue Elder All parts of this tree are medicinal. The root and bark are purgative, the flowers diuretic and diaphoretic, the ripe berries are healthily endowed with antiviral procyanidins and the leaves may be used to make a cooling salve. Do not eat the raw uncooked berries. Makes a healthful syrup, juice or jam. A hardy shrub maturing to 10 feet tall with beautiful creamy white blooms in early summer maturing to clusters of deep blue/purple berries. Prefers full to partial sun. Perennial. Hardy to zones 3-7.