Red elderberry, also known as bushy or common elderberry (lat. Sambucus racemosa) - perennial, representing low shrub or tree. It has long been known in European countries as an element of the garden landscape, and as an ornamental shrub near private houses. In addition, people have long used the beneficial properties of this plant.
The elderberry is a shrub with a large number of straight stems coming from the base (in rare cases, a tree), the height of which varies from one and a half to three to five meters.
The bark may be smooth and flaky to the touch. On the surface of the bark there are lenticels (tubercles of a white hue), through which the plant breathes.
In spring, large, oval-ovoid buds appear. The leaves are opposite, pinnate, composed of five to seven leaflets. Leaflets are ovate or oblong-lanceolate, have a serrated-toothed edge, the length varies from five to ten centimeters. The leaves have a specific characteristic smell. The content of anthocyanin in young leaves is high enough, so they have a dark red or purple-black hue.
The flowers of the shrub are small, with a strong unpleasant aroma. The plant bears flowers of both sexes. Perianth double, five-membered. The corolla is wheel-shaped, has a light yellow or greenish-yellow, closer to golden color. The flower has five stamens. Elderberry begins to bloom in the second half of May, or at the beginning of June, at the same time the leaves bloom, this period lasts about a crescent. Pollen yellow color, pollen grains are three-furrowed-oroid, ellipsoidal in shape.
The fruit is a drupe, bright scarlet. Ripening occurs in the second half of July or early August. Berries have a characteristic, unpleasant taste and aroma, but when ripe, it cannot be called poisonous.
Most popular variety, which is widely used in the landscape design of city parks and squares, and also grows in gardeners' backyards, is the Sutherland Gold variety (Sutherland Gold). This variety has beautiful and dense golden yellow foliage.
In nature, there are more than twenty species of elderberry, most of them are attributed medicinal properties, but at the same time, many of its species are famous for their aesthetic merits, due to which they are widely used for decorative purposes in household plots.
Within our country there are nine species that are shrubs, trees or herbaceous plants. Wide application received on the territory of our country red, black and canadian species elderberries.
Other differences between these species are as follows:
The taste of red elderberry is not the only reason for its inedibility. Elderberry red - poisonous. Unripe parts of the plant and fruits are toxic, they contain a poisonous substance - sambunigrin.
Little is known about the chemical composition of red elderberry, since no one undertook a thorough study of this issue. It is known that its composition contains a sufficient amount of vitamin C, as well as tannin, sugars (glucose, fructose), essential oils, organic acids, tannins, mineral salts and resins.
Unripe parts of the plant and fruits contain the poisonous glycoside sambunigrin, which decomposes into benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid.
The fruits and other parts of the elderberry plant are known for their useful properties. However, this plant is not officially used for medical purposes - its composition and effect on the human body have not been sufficiently studied.
Medicinal properties, among the people, give flowers, fruits, leaves and roots of the shrub. The plant has antispasmodic, antipyretic, anesthetic effects. Different parts of elderberry can cope with the signs of the following diseases:
Decoctions and tinctures from fruits, leaves and other parts of elder also help with kidney and liver diseases, skin rashes, allergies, diseases of the cardiovascular system, arthritis, psoriasis, and various inflammatory processes.
Apart from decorative use red elderberry, in gardening it is also used to repel pests and rodents. To do this indoors or near cultivated plants lay out the stems and leaves of the elderberry red. Their smell can scare away some types of pests.
In home gardens, gardeners use elderberry as a natural detergent. Its fruits, despite the fact that they do not form foam, cope well with hand contamination and dirt on household surfaces.
In European countries, green paint is made from red elderberries, the seeds are processed into oil, which is used later for technical purposes, and alcohol is made from the fruits.
Flowers, fruits, leaves of red elderberry are toxic, so use them in medicinal purposes stands with extreme caution.
For medicinal blanks use only ripe fruits, mature shoots and leaves, otherwise the content of hydrocyanic acid can only harm the body. Also, don't treat folk recipes based on elderberry, children under twelve years of age, pregnant and lactating women.
Not everyone is aware that the fruits of the shrub are toxic. When children eat red elderberry berries, it is necessary to call an ambulance, as a small body is unable to cope with poisoning on its own.
Signs of poisoning: dizziness, disorientation in space, nausea and vomiting, bitterness in the throat, perspiration, abdominal pain, diarrhea, increased salivation, increased heart rate.
An adult poisoned organism can be helped by the following measures: wash the stomach with a light solution of potassium permanganate, induce vomiting, laxatives and charcoal.
Elder red wonderful ornamental plant, widely used in traditional medicine. Whether it is poisonous or not depends on the content of hydrocyanic acid in it, the level of which decreases with ripening.
The red elderberry is a shrub or small tree from one and a half to four and a half meters in height, from the Honeysuckle family. Here is a photo of the red elderberry, which got its name because of the color of the fruit - red berries.
plant with strong leafy branches. The inflorescences are smallish, yellowish-whitish in color with a characteristic, pronounced smell. Flowering time - late spring, early summer. It bears fruit towards the end of summer (the berry does not fully ripen). before the middle- the end of August). The fruits are not very pleasant tasting berries, they ripen on bunches-brushes. Its fruits are considered not quite suitable for food, but not too poisonous either.
Red elderberry was brought to the territory of Russia from the Western part of Europe, to decorate the streets, parks and squares of megacities and small settlements. However, the favorite places for the growth of this shrub are the undergrowth of mixed forests, steppes, mountains, banks of rivers and lakes, where there is enough moisture, light and heat. At the same time, the tree is resistant to drought, unpretentious to the soil, although it prefers fertile. Easily tolerates booking. And can decorate anyone household plot. It reproduces in several ways:
It reproduces quickly and gives good growth. Experienced gardeners use shrubs to create living beautiful hedges. On a large scale as an excellent reinforcement of slopes, embankments and ravines.
If black elderberry is widely used in folk medicine, then red elderberry is used as ornamental shrub. From the description of the red elderberry, it is clear that it is treated with great care. Although its flowers, bark and leaves can be used as:
for various problems with:
A decoction of flowers can be used to gargle, make lotions. Tinctures from the bark and leaves have an emetic and laxative effect, and a decoction of the roots soothes itching and burning, and helps relieve psoriasis. 
Is the red elder poisonous or not? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. Its properties and composition are poorly understood. It contains such a toxic substance as "Sambunigrin". Once in human body, it acts akin to hydrocyanic acid. Therefore, it is necessary to use the components of this tree very carefully, strictly dosed according to recipes and under the supervision of specialists - phytotherapists.
Any treatment with red elderberry is contraindicated:
In case of overdose, or for other reasons, poisoning may occur. Its main features:
In this case, you should immediately wash the stomach, give activated charcoal and call a doctor.
In addition to gardening and traditional medicine, red elderberry is widely used in everyday life. Namely, fresh berries:
Often a tree is planted next to outbuildings, as its smell repels many pests.
The leaves are used to make dye for dyeing fabrics. It has a greenish tint. Oil can be squeezed out of seeds, alcohol can be obtained from berries. The tree itself is widely used for the manufacture of various wooden objects and decorations, even some garden furniture. 
For medicinal purposes, the bark of a young tree is cut and harvested in mid-April, leaves and flowers are harvested in early summer (after full bloom), fully ripe berries in late summer (not earlier than mid-August). Foliage and inflorescences are thinly laid out and dried in the shade. After drying, the flowers are additionally threshed. Elder racemosa (another name for red elderberry) is used in very small doses in some medical and recipes. Just for reference, here are some of them.
How to prepare an antipyretic and diaphoretic infusion of flowers? Dried 2 tsp. flowers pour a glass of boiling water (250 ml), leave for 15 minutes. Use 100 ml only 2 times a day, slowly and in small sips with interruptions. For the same purposes, we prepare an infusion of red ripe berries. Take 1 tbsp. l. berries, pour a glass of boiling water, insist for 2 hours, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 2, maximum 3 times a day.
To relieve inflammation, you can make a decoction of flowers for gargling and oral cavity. 1 st. l. dry flowers pour 1 cup boiling water, boil for 5 minutes, let cool, strain. Rinse with warm infusion, several times a day. For compresses, rubbing and lotions, pour fresh ripe berries (3/4 of the volume) into a liter glass container, pour completely with vodka, under a tight lid and insist for 1 month in a dark place. Use 2 times a day.
Also, to alleviate the symptoms of dropsy, the bark can be infused with dry white wine (at the rate of 200 g of crushed bark per 1 liter of wine). Let it brew for 2 days. Use no more than one hundred milliliters once a day. Remember, everything is good in moderation. Be healthy.
Elderberry is an unpretentious, rather beautiful deciduous shrub, whose homeland is Europe, North America, the Caucasus, Asia Minor. in garden design and personal plots so far rarely seen. More often it can be seen in neglected gardens, along ravines and wastelands, in suburban forests and forest belts, where it appears quite unexpectedly, being carried by birds.
This is what black elderberry looks like
Some consider elderberry a “weedy” plant, because they did not plant it and did not put any effort into growing it, others refer to ornamental species, appreciating the early green of its foliage, beautiful inflorescences, a spectacular array of red or black fruits, growth speed and great vitality. 
About 40 species of elderberry are known, of which six grow in Russia. The greatest distribution and interest are three species and their garden forms. We offer you a description of black, red and Canadian elderberry.
Elder red (carpal) is a shrub with branched thick shoots covered with large buds. Height up to 4 m, can grow in the form of a tree. Already in April, the shoots, dotted with numerous lentils, begin to shine from the rising juices, the buds swell and burst. From the inside, reddish leaves and grayish green inflorescences are shown. At this time, the carpal elderberry is decorative.
This is what a red elderberry looks like
The shrub blooms in May simultaneously with the appearance of leaves. Leaves pinnate with 5-7 leaflets, each 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, pointed at the apex and drawn into pointed up to 1 cm long, serrated along the edge, bright green above, glabrous, lighter below, along the veins sometimes pubescent.
Pictured is a red elderberry
The elderberry flowers are first light yellow, then fade, brighten, taking on a yellowish-white, sometimes creamy color. They are collected in terminal dense ovoid panicles 3-6 cm long and stand out slightly against the background of foliage. Flowering lasts about two weeks. Then green fruits are tied, and the shrub does not stand out against the background of the general summer greenery.
But by the end of July, the beauty of this type of elder returns again, fiery red fruits become visible. The branches bend under their weight. The fruits adorn the plant for 1-1.5 months, until they "harvest" the crop of birds, for which this is a tasty food. At this time, yellow leaves are already appearing inside the crown of the shrub. In autumn, after the first frost, the leaves fall off, without having time to completely change color.
Elderberry reproduces well by seeds, which are carried everywhere by birds. It grows rapidly, forming abundant shoots at the root neck. In culture, it is used for single and group plantings, for decorating slopes. She is very resistant to climatic conditions but loves deep and loose fertile soils, responsive to fertilizers.
Large thickets of elderberry are found in pine forests, near cities where rooks nest. Here, the reaction of the plant to natural fertilizer in bird droppings is especially visible. And the elderberry itself enriches the soil, since its leaves contain a significant amount of ash substances.
The photo shows red elderberry leaves
In culture, elderberry is known from late XVI V. During this time, many decorative forms were selected during seed propagation. Among them, the form of plumosa is known with unevenly toothed leaves that acquire a purple color at the time of leaf fall. In the gardens there are bushes with deeply dissected leaves, the lobes of which resemble threads, this is a form of laciniata. There are forms with purple buds and pinkish flowers. Flavescens form is distinguished by yellow fruits.
Black elder differs sharply from red. Shrub or tree with much larger compound leaves (up to 32 cm long). The kidneys are pointed. Blooms after full foliage. It is especially decorative during the flowering period, when it is completely covered with white umbellate inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter. A distinctive feature of this species is that the leaves smell unpleasant when rubbed, but the flowers are fragrant. Blooms in late May-early June.
Pictured is black elderberry Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’
Shiny black fruits 5-8 mm in diameter with 3-4 seeds ripen in September and adorn the shrub for a long time even after the leaves have fallen. With the onset of winter, it is pecked by birds.
Unlike the red elderberry, whose berries are poisonous, the ripe fruits of its black relative are edible and even have medicinal value (diaphoretic, laxative and emetic).
Black Elderberry Black Lace
The black elder also grows quickly, but is more thermophilic than the red one. It tolerates the heat of the southern region well. To the north it becomes more light-loving, where it often freezes over, but with the onset of spring it grows quickly. Demanding on the soil and contributes to its improvement. 
The pulp of the fruit is tasty, sweetish-sour, used to make jam, compotes, jelly, etc.
Black elderberry has been cultivated since ancient times. It is ubiquitous in plantations of parks and suburban areas.
Pictured is Aurea
It has many decorative forms, differing in habit (short, weeping, pyramidal), in leaf color, dissection of their leaves and fruit color. So, the variegated form has white-variegated leaves; aurea - golden yellow and cherry red fruits; laciniata - correctly and symmetrically deeply dissected leaves; luteo-variegata - yellow-flecked leaves; pendula - stands out with hanging branches.
In the photo, black elderberry Pendula
Black elderberry berries are used in folk medicine, but sometimes gardeners complain that despite the good, abundant flowering, berries are not tied on the bushes. Most often this is due to improper cultivation of this shrub.
A black elderberry bush, planted alone, sometimes shows such oddities: some inflorescences form ovaries, others very little or no fruit set. But main reason not in the solitude of a bush, it can produce a crop, albeit a small one. 
In order for the plants to give more fruits, which means they are better pollinated, you need to plant 2-3 bushes different forms: at a distance of 2-2.5 m from one another (black, racemose - wild, Siberian - used in folk medicine). 
In some cases, elderberry does not set fruit due to malnutrition. This plant prefers fertile, moist soils and is responsive to fertilizers. IN landing pit make 7-8 kg of humus, 50 g of superphosphate, 40 g of potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate). After planting, the seedlings are watered, mulched, the aerial part is shortened to 25 cm. This dressing will last the plant for 2-3 years.
Starting from the third year, in the spring they give nitrogen supplements (25-30 g of urea), treat with zircon (1 ampoule per 10 liters of water). In July, the plant is fed complex fertilizer(quoted). Treatment with zircon can be repeated after 15-20 days 3-4 times. 
In autumn, before the bushes go into winter, trunk circle can be overlaid with a layer of humus 10 cm thick. You can lay a freshly cut mass of green manure.
Black elderberry is formed in the form of a bush with 10-12 branches of different ages, height 2-2.5 m. Branches older than 6 years are cut into a ring.
If the bush is thickened, prune it: remove old branches, add humus (bucket), wood ash (0.5-liter jar) under the bush, complex mineral fertilizers. Water it regularly: at least twice a month, and in a hot, dry summer time in 10 days. The greatest need for water is after flowering and during the filling of berries. 
Black elder bears fruit on last year's branches. Therefore, this year it should grow new annual branches. To do this, in early spring, shorten the tops of the shoots by a bud directed outward, and the side branches by 2-3 buds.
Every year it is necessary to sanitary pruning: cut out dry, improperly growing shoots directed inside the crown of the bush.
Perhaps the weather interfered with pollination: strong wind, rain. Under such conditions, pollinating insects do not fly.
You can apply a natural stimulant of flowering and fruiting Bud. It contains gibberellic acids that promote fruit set.
Elder bushes are sprayed with it in the morning or in the evening in dry, calm weather. The leaves are moistened evenly.
To prepare a working solution, right amount the drug (10 g per 10 liters of water) is dissolved in a small amount water, mix thoroughly, then add water to 10 l, mix again. It begins to act from the moment of treatment and continues for 1-3 months.
Canadian elderberry is close to black elderberry. Originally from North America, it has large pinnate leaves, yellowish-white flowers, fragrant, small, collected in large (up to 30 cm in diameter) umbrellas. The fruits are spherical, dark purple, shiny, about 5 mm in diameter, edible. Shoots glabrous at first green, then dark purple, slightly ribbed, with numerous lenticels.
Canadian elderberry has many decorative garden forms with different dissection and color of leaflets, with different fruits up to red. The most common form of acutifolia with strongly dissected leaves. It freezes annually, but blooms and bears fruit.
In culture, all types of elderberry are usually propagated by seeds, sowing them in the fall. For sowing in the spring, a long stratification (4 months) is required. 1000 pieces of red elderberry seeds weigh 2.5 g, and black - 3.3 g. Canadian elderberry forms root offspring. decorative forms elderberries, when grown from seeds, partially retain the characteristics of the mother plant. They can also be propagated by woody cuttings.
This is what Canadian elderberry looks like
Do you know that distinctive feature this shrub is not only the decorativeness of the plants themselves and its many forms?
Many gardeners have long noticed that there are no plant pests around the red elderberry, and they are trying to give this shrub a place on the site, propagating it with seeds, layering, and cuttings.
When growing elderberry, keep in mind that the inflorescences and bark contain valeric acid, which explains the love for it of cats that gnaw on the bark and often feast on the flowers of this beautiful and useful shrub.
photo of elderberry 
The red elderberry is a plant widely distributed in Europe, including the Mediterranean and eastern part, in Asia, as well as in North America. In Russia in wild nature red elderberry grows almost throughout the entire territory, whether it is the Moscow region or Krasnodar region, although in Siberia it is replaced by another species - the Siberian elderberry. It is also grown in culture, and mainly for decorative purposes. It is popular in landscape design - it is planted in both public parks and private gardens.
The red elder is a strongly branching shrub, which most often grows up to 1.5-3.5 m in height, less often there are instances of "growth" up to 5 meters. The bark of this shrub has a grayish-brown hue. In young plants, it is smooth, but in older plants it begins to peel off. Lighter tubercles, called lenticels, are noticeable on the stems. This is not a disease, but natural formations consisting of loose tissue that allows air to pass through. Thus, in a dense corky cover, vents appear through which the shrub can breathe.
Important! The elderberry is distinguished by very brittle branches. This is due to the fact that most of their volume is made up of a loose brownish core, and there is relatively little wood in them. This plant differs from other types of elderberry, and at the same time from other shrubs characteristic of the European part of Russia.
The buds of the red elderberry are large, from which elongated-lanceolate or ovoid leaves develop, the length of which can be 5-10 cm. Young leaves often have a rich red or even purple, which is due to the fact that they contain the anthocyanin pigment (by the way, it also has antioxidant properties). IN this case the important thing is that this pigment can convert light energy into heat, and this is important for the development of the plant after winter, when the sun does not warm enough. It should also be noted that the leaves of red elderberry are distinguished by their characteristic bad smell.
The plant blooms beautifully. Each flower is a few millimeters in diameter. But the flowers are collected in dense inflorescences, most often conical in shape, which reach 20 cm in diameter. Unlike black elderberry with sessile flowers, here they grow on pedicels. Their petals are usually white or greenish-yellow. The red elderberry blooms in May-June, and the leaves bloom at the same time. The process takes about two weeks.
The elder fruit is a bright scarlet drupe. Red elderberry berries ripen in July-August and are small in size, up to 5 mm. From the fruits of black elderberry, they will differ not only in color. Such berries have an unpleasant odor, they can not be eaten either raw or heat-treated. Firstly, because they contain a poisonous glycoside, and secondly, because bad taste. However, the only person who doesn't like it. Birds willingly eat these berries - this is how the seeds of the bush spread further.
Note! Fruits, if they are intended for some medical purposes, must be harvested immediately, until birds have reached them.
Elderberry red can look very elegant. In spring - thanks to large greenish inflorescences. In summer and early autumn - thanks to bright red berries among green foliage and on the grass. There are also varieties with decorative leaves, which look beautiful and in the interval between flowering and fruiting. That is why they are so popular in landscape design.
Red Plumosa Aurea
The elderberry red Plumosa Aurea looks very beautiful. It is distinguished by carved golden foliage and ruby-colored fruits. Grows fast for abundant flowering and fruiting requires light partial shade. If there is too little sun, the leaves will turn green. This variety looks good both in single and in group plantings.
Another beautiful variety- Sutherland Gold. He also has a golden crown, but loves not only partial shade, but also sunny areas. It is especially beautiful in the form of a tapeworm or in contrasting color groups.
Agrotechnics for red elderberry as a whole practically does not differ from the rules for planting and caring for other plants of this species. This is a thermophilic plant, although many varieties are winter hardy. They are undemanding to the soil and can grow on clay soil.
On a note! The red elderberry is propagated by lignified cuttings. In this case, the seedling is recommended to be planted in open ground autumn. Beforehand, a hole about 50 cm wide is prepared for it. If there are several bushes, the distance between them should be 1.5 m. Pruning of bushes is recommended in early spring.
Elderberry red - a beautiful plant, but poisonous. Its inflorescences have an unpleasant odor, and the fruits should never be eaten. If the berries of the black variety are a product that is not too edible only in its raw form, then these fruits are poisonous in any case. Official medicine does not even recognize the medicinal properties of red elderberry. Moreover, as chemical composition its fruits are poorly studied. It is only known that these berries include the glycoside sambunigrin, which gives toxicity to other fruits of this species, since it serves as the basis for the production of hydrocyanic acid. However, red elderberry is still used in folk medicine, however, only flowers, leaves, bark and roots of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. At the same time, products based on them are used with caution, observing the dosage prescribed by the naturopath or phytotherapeutist.
These parts of the plant contain useful material, with scientifically proven medicinal properties. These are vitamin C, rutin, organic acids, phytoncides and tannins. Therefore, the use of red elderberry goes beyond landscape design. From the leaves, bark and flowers of the plant, infusions and decoctions are made, they are used to treat joints, pain caused by displacement of the vertebrae, bronchitis, rheumatism, tonsillitis, and heel spurs.
Important! An alcohol tincture is made from the fruits of red elderberry (1/4 of the volume is berries, the rest is vodka). Such a tincture is not suitable for internal use, since it can only cause poisoning. But it is used for compresses or rubbed into the skin.
Flower decoction and leaf infusions can be used as a diaphoretic for ARVI. They relieve migraines, are used in the treatment of bronchial asthma. In the treatment of bronchitis, an infusion of the bark is used. It is easy to prepare - 1 tablespoon of vegetable raw materials is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for two hours, and then the product is filtered and taken 70 ml three times a day.
Broth on elderberry
There are also contraindications for elderberry-based products. First, it is the presence allergic reactions, secondly - pregnancy and lactation, thirdly - diseases of the digestive tract and hepatobiliary system.
Not only medicine can be made from red elderberry. From its branches with a loose core, spools and bobbins for needlework are traditionally made. And in the gardens this plant is also planted and how insecticide effective against various pests. Now it is recommended to place several bushes closer to the toilet or cesspool- then there will be no flies. In the old days, it was planted near barns, because it was believed that the elderberry repels mice (although the description of its chemical composition does not make it possible to confirm this fact).
There may be other uses for seeds, fruits, and other parts of the plant. For example, in some European countries, oil is produced from seeds, which is used for technical purposes. It is theoretically possible to obtain alcohol from the fruits, and a natural green dye from the leaves.
Important! Red berries of elderberry help to wash the skin of the hands from any contamination - just rub the berries in the palms. At the same time, juice is released from them, which dissolves even stubborn dirt, including vegetable resins.
Everything that is made from red elderberry is safe for human health. This plant is dangerous only if the fruits are consumed internally. In this case, poisoning is possible.
Just like black elderberry, the red variety is resistant to diseases, there are no specific pathologies for it. As for pests, only aphid infection is possible here, which can choose the top of the plant. This phenomenon can be prevented. To do this, in the spring, the bushes are treated with karbofos or some herbal remedies(for example, garlic or tar solution).
Pests on elderberry
To begin with, it should be noted that from a biological point of view, the red elderberry is a separate species. But in practice, the difference between the species lies in the answer to the question of whether the elderberry is poisonous or not. Black elderberry is safe for humans, its fruits are widely used in Food Industry, drinks, jam, jam are made from them, they are added to grape must. The fruits of red elderberry are dangerous to eat raw, and after heat treatment, the glycoside is partially destroyed, but they still do not differ in a pleasant taste. Kissel of them is used as a laxative, which in itself speaks of their effect on humans.
Thus, the different chemical composition of fruits, bark and leaves also determined the difference in the use of these two plant species.
In the end of April summer cottages, roadsides and ravines are buried in a lush milky color - this is the red elder squanders its heady honey aromas, attracting bees and romantic couples under the green canopy of its spreading branches. The Greeks associate the name of this plant with the scarlet color of its ripe fruits, the Latins with a bunch of grapes, the Czechs and Belarusians with flowering shrub, Ukrainians - with wild lilacs.
The red elderberry is a sprawling one and a half meter bush with many branches or a low, up to five meters, tree with a wide crown. Its brown bark, mottled with folds and furrows, with purple patches on young shoots, contrasts with juicy in green pinnate leaves in the shape of an ellipse. The flowers are in the form of a cleavage corolla and a calyx with five teeth, forming a panicle. Gradually blooming and changing color from greenish to delicate yellowish-white, elderberry blossoms really resemble delicate clusters of white lilacs. July adds a riot of colors to the red elderberry plant - the branches are studded with scarlet, like blood, tassels of berries that have three seeds inside, they ripen closer to August, but stay on the branches until frost. This shrub is unpretentious and hardy, grows quickly even from the seeds of berries pecked by birds, and gives fruits by the third year of life. The plant is used not only to create picturesque green areas, but also for medicinal purposes, and in the practical life of avid summer residents. 
Elderberry red - a great option for hedges almost around the entire perimeter of the cottage. A zealous owner uses the growth rate of a shrub, its cheapness, a riot of colors, useful and even healing properties plants.
Bulk juicy fruits are an excellent cosmetic product: rubbing berries in the palms of your hands, you can not only wash off the dirt, deeply ingrained plant resin, but also soften the skin of your hands.
The smell of elderberry is not to your liking harmful insects and small rodents, so it is advisable to place outbuildings near the hedge or plant shrubs nearby. You can also cover the floor with twigs, even in winter, dry branches retain their properties. 
If the household has copper utensils or a samovar, the fruits of the plant will help remove dark plaque from them.
Can also be cut from growths on elderberry roots decorative items, from its seeds - to make technical oil, from berries - alcohol. Some craftsmen use the leaves to make green facade paint.
Raw berries are usually liked only by representatives of the feathered world, but zealous housewives use them to make jams and jams.
The beneficial substances of elderberry are well preserved in mashed potatoes with a short heat treatment:
Red elderberry is a storehouse of vitamin C, tannin, essential oils, organic acids, tannins and mineral salts contained in its flowers and bark, in which, in addition, there are a lot of pectins. The berries are saturated with amino acids, ascorbic acid, oils, but they contain sambunigrin, which is capable of forming hydrocyanic acid that is dangerous to health. Therefore, using grandmother's recipes for treatment, you need to be careful. Experienced herbalists have long used the diaphoretic, antipyretic, diuretic, laxative, anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties of this plant. The healing properties of the miracle plant are used for colds, diabetes, pustular rashes, hemorrhoids, burns and diaper rash in children and bedridden patients. 
When the buds begin to swell, around April, it is already possible to cut off the branches of a two-year-old plant, as well as cut off the bark with a sharp knife. Waste material can be used for disinfection of utility rooms. You can not cut the branches, but make transverse cuts on them, retreating about thirty centimeters, then connect them longitudinally. The bark is removed easily, and the plant tolerates this procedure painlessly. Like all medicinal herbs, the bark is dried in a dry, shady place. When the flowers are fully bloomed, they must not only be cut and dried, but it is advisable to select all the small pedicels after drying. Dried flowers are preferably stored in a paper bag, then they can be stored for two years. The end of May is the time to collect the leaves of the plant for harvesting, but they are stored for no more than a year. Even less - up to six months - dried fruits are stored. Required condition drying juicy berries - preserving the stalk, so it is better to cut whole bunches and hang them in bunches under the shade of the roof. Harvesting should begin no earlier than August. Then you can do digging and drying elderberry roots. They are pre-cleaned and washed, then ground to a state of flour, which is used for a long time - up to five years. 
Elderberry red with proper collection, storage and preparation can become good help the summer resident in compiling his own green pharmacy, which will always be at hand throughout the summer season.
enjoy these old recipes you need to be very careful, because they are not recognized by official pharmacology, and fresh berries and young leaves of this type of plant are unsafe for health. Even if you prepare an infusion or decoction of unripe fruits, you can get severe poisoning and lie down for a long time. You should not experiment with this plant for pregnant and lactating women, children, people with acute forms of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
