Foraging for Elderflower

Foraging is something I really want to learn more about. I have very limited knowledge of foraging and if ever there was a subject on which solid knowledge was important, this is it. One misguided decision to eat something in the wild could have dire consequences.

One thing I do know how to identify though is Elderflower. We have foraged for some basics with the boys, such as wild garlic, mint, pine needles and nettles in the past. I worry about Elderflower because there are some pretty dangerous plants that could easily be mistaken for it. Cow Parsley, Giant Hogweed and Hemlock all present small white flowers and to a child they could easily be wrongly identified.

Elderflower has a very small creamy white flower and serrated leaves, usually in clusters of five.

We have Elderflower growing on the park directly behind our house, so we didn’t have to go far for it. The boys picked it very carefully and collected just enough in a tupperware box to make cordial.

We looked closely at the flowers and discussed the differences between these and the flowers of Hogweed.

Remember too that Elderflower grows on bushes and not from the ground or from a tree.

I had intended to make some cordial with this particular batch of elderflower, as I mentioned earlier. However, we left our loot unattended and daddy put it in some whisky instead! I will let you know what he thinks in about 6 weeks…

Uses

I found some great Elderflower recipes from around the internet to give you some inspiration:

Jelly

Cordial

Gin

I’d love to know how things turn out if you try any of them – let me know in the comments.