Elderberry

Elderberry, Medicine chest tree, Tree of music

Sambucus canadensis (or S. nigra)Caprifoliacea
Found in moist soils but can tolerate dry conditions. Elder is found in shaded to semi-shaded woods in many soil types.
There is a lot of folk information about Elder. It has many magical uses and is considered a powerful and magical tree in many cultures; rituals involve offerings left to the Elder Mother, or in some cultures, the faeries. Tubular plants (hollow stems) are associated with the shamanic journey to the underworld, and also make haunting music when used to make musical pipes. It was said that it was not safe to fall asleep under an Elder tree lest you be taken prisoner into the underworld.
'The Russians believe that Elder-trees drive away evil spirits, and the Bohemians go to it with a spell to take away fever. The Sicilians think that sticks of its wood will kill serpents and drive away robbers, and the Serbs introduce a stick of Elder into their wedding ceremonies to bring good luck. In England it was thought that the Elder was never struck by lightning, and a twig of it tied into three or four knots and carried in the pocket was a charm against rheumatism. A cross made of Elder and fastened to cowhouses and stables was supposed to keep all evil from the animals.' (Greives, A Modern Herbal)
Charlemagne (800 C.E.) decreed people to plant an Elder tree on their property to be on hand in case of sickness. (Wood, The Earthwise Herbal p 456) Leaves are good for bruises, sprains, wounds, tumors, skin irritation, etc. Flowers are good for colds and flu, inflammation of upper respiratory tract, hay fever and sinusitis. Most often leaves are used externally because of their purgative nature. The flower properties change whether the flowers are fresh or dried, served hot or cold. The fresh flowers are more purgative. The dried flowers made into a hot infusion are good for colds, flu, fevers, inflammation, pneumonia, stomach, or bowels. The cold infusion is good as eyewash for sore and inflamed eyes, swollen glands, sprains, bruises, stiffness, and rheumatic pain. The bark was traditionally used in folk medicine as a strong purgative for the gall bladder, stomach, and intestines. The berries are used as a tonic to build up blood and combat anemia. They purge the bowels, promote perspiration, and remove cold, sore throat, nasal congestion, bronchial catarrh, and asthma. Elder is said to be the remedy for infants and old folks, whom the passageway to the underworld is more readily open to. The hollow stems are a signature for all tubes in the body such as the blood vessels, pores of the skin and membranes, the respiratory tract, and the kidneys. Elder removes stagnation, and decongests heat and stirs up blood in the interior, bringing it to the surface.

Bark, flowers, berries, and leaves from the Elder plant are all gathered for medicinal use. Collect flowers in the spring and dry in the shade, bark and berries when ripe in August or September.
Leaves: external emollient and vulnerary. Internally same as bark.
Flowers: diaphoretic, anti-catarrhal
Berries: Diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative
Bark: purgative, emetic, diuretic
References
Botanical.com- A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve, The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffmann, Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra, The Book of Herbal Wisdom by Matthew Wood, The Earthwise Herbal by Matthew Wood