I went on a hike and this is what I found

I am a budding herbalist and have been hiking through tall grasses high and low to take pictures of plants 'weeds" and to identify them for the purpose of building up a functional local herbal apothecary. I would like to share some photos and a few comments of my excursions whomever shares my enthusiasm for the outdoors.

Elderberry (Sambucus Cerulea)

Posted Thursday, September 25, 2008, at 10:41 PM

Gregory Tilford writes in his book "Edible and medicinal plants of the West" that:"…Recent studies have confirmed that the (elder) berries possess antiviral properties that may be useful against influenza." (p.54)

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and makes a mighty fine jelly if youre inclined to gather that many berries. bears like them too

-- Posted by just1 on Fri, Sep 26, 2008, at 7:42 PM
I was told by my father, that you should wait until after the first frost to pick them.

-- Posted by akbrand on Tue, Sep 30, 2008, at 12:39 PM
michaela, will you be making jam or soap with the berries,, a friend from boston

-- Posted by dm3roll on Wed, Oct 1, 2008, at 10:49 AM
As far as I know, harvesting fruits after the frost brings out their sweetness (the plant's survival mechanism to turn starch into sugars) That sounds like a fine a idea to me. However in the past two weeks I have noticed that whatever feeds on the wild plants have decided not to wait for the frost and the old "first come- first serve seems to apply. I have made syrups and will probably add some of the leaves in a batch of soap.

Michaela

-- Posted by weedpicker on Thu, Oct 2, 2008, at 12:51 PM

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