Having a vast multitude of actions, elder is useful for a wide array of ailments. Perhaps elder is best known for its ability to treat coldsand flus but this is such a narrow view of such a broadly useful herb.

As part of the HerbMed database, the Alternative Medicine Foundation, Inc. provides access to articles featuring scientific information on the herbal use of Sambucus nigra L., also known as black elderberry.

A new cultivar of Sambucus nigra named 'Gerda' that is particularly distinguished in having dark purple foliage and flowers that have deep purple-pink petal markings and deep purple-pink anthers, styles and pedicels.