Even if it is not particularly beautiful without black, it is worth having it close to the house. It has so many medicinal effects that it has been referred to as a miracle plant for hundreds of years. In addition, our ancestors attributed magical properties to it. For them, bez black was a sacred plant that could protect a person, his happiness, dwelling and livestock. However, they also knew that if mishandled, the black can cause them great misfortune or even drive them insane.
People planted black elder in front of their houses. They believed that it had not only healing but also magical effects.
| Video: Diary/Jiří Štraub
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The elder bush was a passage to the other world
Black elder is a deciduous shrub that grows to a height of several meters. It is definitely not one of the rare or protected plants, because it grows along roads, on wastelands, borders or clearings, and there is certainly no shortage of it in our region. It likes moist soil and can grow in full sun or partial shade.
Source: Deník/Jiří Štraub
It was already considered sacred by the Celts and the ancient Germans. The Druids worshiped it as the abode of Mother Earth. All parts of the bush were used for healing and ceremonies: flowers, fruits, leaves, bark, wood and root. Black elder was considered a medicine against the “devator of diseases”. For example, ointment made from elder leaves was a home remedy for wounds, bruises, sprains and frostbite.
Some of the ancient myths about this bush have survived to this day. According to them, there is no black border tree. “They guard the boundaries between life and death, between illness and health, between this world and the next,” writes the Druid Garden portal.
Black elder was especially worshiped in Northern Europe and the British Isles. It was believed to be inhabited by good spirits and fairies.
In Denmark, the tree was associated with powerful magic. People believed that anyone who stood under an elder bush on Midsummer’s Eve would see a chariot with fairies and the King of the Elves pass by. Food left overnight under an elderberry was considered a gift to the fairies.
Protection from lightning and evil spirits
An elder twig placed in the mouth was supposed to have the ability to ward off evil spirits and cure toothache. In some areas it was even believed that an elder bush could not be struck by lightning.
Dried elderflowers were used to repel feverstreatment rheumatism and removal warts. An elderflower placed next to the pillow was evocative calm sleep. Elder wine had a reputation as a drink that induced clairvoyance and caused hallucinations.
People planted elder bushes near their houses because they believed that they would prevent the entry of evil forces. “However, this custom may also have arisen out of a need to rid the home of troublesome insects, as the scent of elder leaves was known to repel flies,” says the Scottish nature and conservation website Trees for Life.
People also hung bundles of elder leaves on doors and gates of cattle stables and attached them to horse harnesses.
Cow breeders and milkmen believed that black without prevented milk from curdling. Washed towels, intended for pressing cheese, as well as other linens associated with milk processing, were hung on elder bushes.
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“The smell that the laundry absorbed from the leaves was to contribute to better hygiene in the dairy,” explains the Trees for Life website.
Farmers hung crosses made of elder twigs on stables and barns to protect their cattle. The hearse drivers carried whip handles made of elder to scare away evil spirits. In Sicily, elderberry was said to have the power to repel snakes.
An elderflower placed next to a pillow is said to induce peaceful sleep.Source: Shutterstock
Without black guards home happiness
Black elderberry was also valued by people in Central Europe. Our ancestors always took elderberry seeds or seedlings to their new homes when they moved, knowing that few plants have so many medicinal properties.
Large elderberry bushes can still be seen in our country at the entrances to old buildings. It was believed that this plant protects luck in the house.
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Black elder is also associated with music, as it is suitable for making pipes. The branches of this shrub contain a soft core that can be hollowed out, leaving a hard, easy-to-polish wood. After all, one of the first spring pastimes of Czech and Moravian children was “beating whistles”, i.e. making whistles from elder wood.
Pagan tree worship and their deities persisted for a long time. However, it was incompatible with the Christian faith, which is why it is in the 9th century banned by Charlemagne. However, it turned out that old rituals they survive so another ban was issued by the Church at the Council of Trier in 1227. However belief in the magical power of trees it persisted for centuries to come and is not unusual even today.
Why black is beneficial for health:
- Elderberry flowers they are a source of essential oils, tannins, mucilage, essential oils, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, flavonoids, glycosides and vitamin C.
- It is made from them syrups and sparkling wine and liqueursdries to tea and they can be fried in batter like cutlets.
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- Black elderberries they are a source of organic acids, tannins, pectin, glycosides, anthocyanins, caryotenes, choline, vitamins A, C, group B vitamins, iron and selenium.
- Overcooked elderberry juice especially helps in the treatment of migraines, nerve diseases and inflammation of the trigeminal nerve.
- We can make elderberries syrup, wine, liqueur, marmalade or tea.
Magic without black
Don’t sleep under an elderberry or you’ll go crazy
However, if mishandled or careless, magic would turn against people without blackmail. In old legends, there are many warnings against dozing off or sleeping under a black elder tree, because the sleeper might go mad, or he might not wake up at all.
The writer also used the motif of the magical elder JK Rowling in stories about a young wizard Harry Potter. Among the ominous deathly hallows was invincible elder wandwhich Lord Voldemort craved.
It probably stemmed from the belief that this bush is a gateway to other worlds, but today we have another explanation. “It is possible that the strong scent of elder leaves has mildly narcotic effects,” notes the Trees for Life website.
The one who cut down an elderberry bush without immediately planting a new one questioned the evil one. In many areas, heating with elder wood or burning it was also prohibited. According to superstitions, it threatened to bring the devil or bring great misfortune.
“This may have been based on common sense: it is possible that burning the wood would release cyanide gas, which could be toxic in confined spaces,” notes The Foraging Course Company, a website focused on wild edible plants.
Caution is also needed when eating elderberries. Raw elderberries are poisonous if consumed in large quantities. “Blackberries – especially when unripe – contain the poisonous substance sambunigrin, which causes nausea and indigestion. Therefore, it is always necessary to boil the berries thoroughly,” explains the National Health Information Portal.
