Content
Red elderberry is a common plant in Russia, the properties of which cause a lot of controversy. To figure out whether a plant is beneficial or harmful to health, you need to properly study the photo and useful properties of red elderberry.
Description of red elderberry
The tree-like shrub of red elderberry can reach up to 5 m in height and has a well-branched trunk covered with light gray bark. The leaves of the shrub are oval with jagged edges and a pointed tip, arranged one after another on short petioles. Usually the leaves are colored bright green, but sometimes there are red-purple shrubs, the leaves of which contain an excess amount of anthocyanin pigment.
The red elderberry blooms in late May with pale yellow flowers. It is easy to recognize the plant - it exudes a rather unpleasant pungent aroma.
Where does the red elderberry grow
The shrub grows wild and cultivated throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found in central Russia, Europe and North America, Canada, Japan and China.
The favorite places of the red elderberry are ravines, forest edges and wastelands. In urban settings, shrubs can appear on ruins and even on abandoned roofs of buildings. However, more often the plant can be seen in parks and gardens, where it is planted for decorative purposes.
Is it possible to eat red elderberry berries
Contrary to popular belief, red elderberry is not uniquely toxic. Its fruits are used in cooking and homemade medicinal recipes.
However, the berries become safe only after heat treatment. Eating them raw is strictly prohibited - this leads to serious poisoning.
When the red elderberry ripens
The ripening of the fruits of the shrub falls on August - at this time, bright scarlet berries appear on the branches, collected in large bunches. In shape, the fruits resemble mountain ash, but their size is slightly smaller. In addition, the fruits of the plant exude the same unpleasant odor as the flowers.
When to collect red elderberry
Unripe berries of the plant are especially dangerous. Therefore, they are harvested only after full ripeness - in mid or late August. Usually, the berries are cut from the branches in whole bunches, and then dried in small bunches in the shade, but with good ventilation.
Red elderberry in landscape design
Ornamental trees and bushes of red elderberry are highly popular in landscape design.
- In summer cottages, in parks and gardens, the plant is often planted solo - a shrub with a bright crown looks spectacular against the background of green grass.
- Red elderberry looks good in combination with other shrubs, decorates flower beds. Towering over perennials, it draws additional attention to them and emphasizes the beauty of flowers.
- The shrub is used to create hedges - its crown is dense, so the plant provides reliable protection of the site from prying eyes.
- The plant is used for planting along the banks of artificial reservoirs - the shrub not only decorates the slopes near the water, but also strengthens them, protecting them from destruction.
Good neighbors for a plant on the site will be raspberries, currants and gooseberries.
Red and black elderberry: what is the difference
The most obvious difference between the two types of shrub is the color of the fruit. However, there are other differences as well.
- Black berries can be freely eaten, but red fruits must at least undergo serious processing. The fruits of both elderberry species contain the poisonous substance sambunigrin, but in the black elderberry its presence is very insignificant, while in the red one it is quite large.
- The black elderberry can grow up to 6-10 m in height, while the red elder rarely grows above 5 m.
- The shrub of both varieties blooms in the same period. But if the red elderberry smells unpleasant, then the black one exudes a rather delicate almond aroma.
In the shape and color of the leaves, the plants differ slightly. The foliage of the red elderberry is usually brighter than that of the black one, but not everyone can catch the difference. The external difference between the species becomes completely obvious only in the fall, when the shrubs begin to bear fruit abundantly.
Composition and nutritional value of berries
The beneficial properties and contraindications of red elderberry are integral to each other. The composition of the berries of the plant includes not only poisonous compounds, but also many valuable substances. Namely:
- vitamins E, B and A;
- organic acids;
- tannins and tannins;
- paraffinic compounds;
- natural sugars;
- ethers and resins;
- amino acids;
- calcium and iron, potassium and selenium;
- copper, sodium, zinc and phosphorus.
The whole group of nutrients is present in the fruits of the plant. The largest share in the volume is occupied by carbohydrates - about 11 g, small shares are allocated to fats and proteins - 0.5 and 0.65 g, respectively. As for the calorie content, 100 g of berries contain about 73 kcal.
Why is red elderberry useful?
When used carefully, common elderberry can have a beneficial effect on the body. Despite the presence of dangerous poisons in the composition of fruits, in minimal dosages, berries are beneficial for internal and external use.
The benefits of red elderberry in oncology
Elderberry berries contain a large amount of flavonoids and valuable organic acids. Despite the fact that the plant cannot guarantee a complete cure for cancer, its properties are beneficial in the fight against the disease. Traditional medicine believes that even toxic substances in the composition of fruits are valuable in cancer, they have a depressing effect on malignant cells.
A plant remedy is prepared as follows:
- ripe berries are poured into a large glass jar with a layer of about 2 cm;
- the same layer of granulated sugar is poured on top;
- for a month, the closed jar is removed in a dark and cool place.
When the medicine is properly infused, and the juice and sugar are mixed, the product can be used as directed. Take it on a full stomach in the amount of a tablespoon, you need to do this three times a day. In total, the course of treatment lasts one and a half months.
It is strictly forbidden to exceed the indicated dosages of a natural remedy - there will be no benefit from this, but the harm to the body will be significant.
From spurs
Medicines based on berries are used externally - red elderberry is good for heel spur and other diseases. It is necessary to prepare such a remedy:
- a liter jar is filled with ripe berries by a third, and then poured to the top with alcohol;
- the ingredients are mixed and the jar is removed for a month in a warm, dark place;
- the finished tincture is used for rubbing and compresses.
It is necessary to apply the tincture to the sore spot twice a day. Elderberry tincture helps not only with spurs, but also with many other diseases of the joints - with osteochondrosis, arthrosis, vertebral hernias.
Since the toxic properties of elderberry can be harmful even when used externally, the product should not be overused. It is recommended to treat diseased areas with tincture no longer than a week, after which you need to take a break in treatment.
With menopause
Benefits are brought not only by the fruits from the red elderberry tree, but also by the flowers of the plant. With menopause, the properties of the tincture on flowers will be valuable for women - the tool will even out the hormonal background and help reduce the frequency of hot flashes. Prepare a medicinal drink like this:
- flowers are poured into a glass vessel;
- from above, the raw material is poured with alcohol, and it should be 5 times more than flowers;
- for 2 weeks, the product is insisted in a dark place and in a cool place.
For a good distribution of nutrients, the tincture must be shaken daily. When it is completely ready, it will need to be filtered and taken 30 drops three times a day.
Applying the beneficial properties of red elderberry
The use of the plant requires increased care, however, the beneficial properties of berries and other parts of the shrub attract increased attention to the red elderberry. It is used not only for medicinal, but also for cosmetic purposes, it is moderately used in cooking and gardening.
The use of red elderberry in traditional medicine
The flowers and berries of the plant are beneficial for a wide range of diseases. Decoctions, infusions and alcohol products on red elderberry are used:
- with diseases of the respiratory organs;
- with ailments of the liver and kidneys;
- with joint pain and inflammation - the plant is good for arthritis, radiculitis, rheumatism;
- with inflammatory skin ailments - eczema and psoriasis;
- with diseases of the oral cavity.
The main rule in the treatment of red elderberry is strict adherence to low dosages and short courses of therapy.
How it is used for other purposes
In moderate quantities and dosages, the plant can be used not only for treatment, but also for beauty care. Most often, elderberry flowers are used in cosmetology, but in some recipes, the leaves and pulp of the fruit are in demand. Elderberry helps to get rid of acne and skin inflammations, regulates the oiliness of the skin and increases its elasticity.
It is useful to rinse the hair with decoctions of the plant - elderberry helps well with hair loss.
Since the red elderberry is a poisonous plant, it is rarely used in cooking. In minimal quantities, it can be added to alcoholic beverages to give them a unique taste, as well as to confectionery sweets. Before using in any food and drink, the berries undergo thorough heat treatment - under the influence of high temperature, toxic substances in their composition are partially destroyed.
Much more often they use red elderberry on a plot in the country - the plant effectively repels pests. At the same time, the properties of the shrub make it possible to get rid of not only rodents, but also flies.Red elderberry juice can be used to wipe off complex dirt from your hands; it is enough to rub a few berries in your palms to make the skin completely clean.
Restrictions and contraindications for taking red elderberry berries
It is recommended for everyone to observe the minimum dosage when using infusions and decoctions. But with certain diseases, elderberry will have to be completely abandoned. Contraindications include:
- stomach ulcer and intestinal colitis;
- gastritis and pancreatitis;
- diabetes;
- children and adolescence;
- Crohn's disease.
It is necessary to temporarily stop using the plant during pregnancy and during breastfeeding - elderberry will only do harm.
Symptoms of red elderberry poisoning
It is very easy to poison the berries of the bush even with careful use, so you need to know what to do in case of an overdose. Poisoning is manifested by severe symptoms, which include:
- bitterness and a sore throat;
- nausea and abdominal pain;
- vomiting and diarrhea;
- tachycardia, dizziness and increased salivation;
- poor orientation in space.
If such signs appear, it is necessary to immediately induce vomiting or rinse the stomach with a weak manganese solution. After the toxic substances leave the body, you need to take a laxative.
Conclusion
Elderberry is a plant with strong medicinal properties, but requires careful handling. When using berries, it is important not to overdose, otherwise health will be seriously affected.
