Can you eat pink elderflowers?
Wow, they're pink! Pink elderflowers with beautiful dark purple, almost black foliage and the flowers smell like elderflowers - what a find! But are they edible?
Black beauty, Black lace, Sambucus nigra, f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' are an ornamental subspecies of Elder. Their flowers smell lemony and they're a stunner to look at! They are often bought and planted for these exact features. I've only found these in planted gardens and in urban areas.
Why plant Black beauty?
As well as having flowers that can be used for elderflower cordial and other delicious recipes (see below). Sambucus 'Black Beauty' is known for attracting bees, beneficial insects, birds, butterflies​/​moths and other pollinators. It is a caterpillar food plant, has nectar/pollen rich flowers, provides shelter and habitat, has seeds for birds and makes a good wildlife hedge.
Can you eat all types and colours of elderflower?
In general, it is not advised to eat elderflowers or elderberries raw. Some people get a stomach upset and there is a mild toxicity. That is why traditionally, elderflowers are infused not eaten and elderberries are cooked (to make syrup, wine or pontack sauce).
Elderflowers are native to North America and most of Europe, they can also be found in some areas of Australia and New Zealand. The main species is known as Elder, Black elder, European black elder, elderberry.
There is other species such as Mexican elder (Sambucus mexicana) also known as blue elder. The flowers of the blue elder can be used in the same way as all the elderflower species, but the berries should be cooked for at 30 minutes to make edible.
How can I use pink elder flowers?
Pink elderflowers can be used instead of white elderflowers for cordial, syrup, wine and champagne. The cordial can also be used in a variety of desserts and sweet treats such as elderflower jam, elderflower doughnuts, elderflower quick, creamy, sponge.
But... the colour is so good it is worth thinking about pink foods! I'll be posting a recipe for this very soon.
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9 comments on “Can you eat pink elderflowers?”
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Tags: edible flowers, edible garden, elderflower cordial, pink flowers, Summer foraging
[…] bank of colours, tastes and smells noted a while ago that rose was a flavour for me, mixed with pink elderflowers I was super […]
Thanku for this wonderful helpful post i just realised we have the pink flowering one! i love cooking so looking forward to ur posts
Wonderful Jacqueline!
Do you know how the pink flowers differ from the white ones in potency? I have the pink ones and was considering making syrup, but they seem to be less fragrant than the white flowers. Just wondering if I’ll get enough flavor out of them.
Hi Nicola, it is different. But I've made a beautiful cordial from it. Best you try and see what you think. Don't expect it to be the same though.
My friend has given me some berries from her pink elderberry tree. They are not plump as the ordinary white flowered varieties I have just collected and also look a bit shrivelled. I’m wondering if they can be used for cordial.
My own pink elderberry tree has never had berries but the flowers have made wonderful cordial.
Hi Celia, yes the berries of a Pink Elder Tree can be used for cordial.
do you have to remove all the flowers from the stems to make herbal tea as in your picture on the left of my screen
Hi Audrey, it's easiest to remove the flowers for herbal tea when the flowers are dried. I can't see the same as you can se on your screen, but my preference is to have as little stalk as possible - it will effect the flavour too.