Also called Black Elder, European Elder, and Common Elder. These dried elder flowers have been rubbed on mesh screens to crumble them slightly.

The plant is a very common feature of hedgerows and scrubland in Britain and northern Europe but is also widely grown as an ornamental shrub or small tree. Both the flowers and the berries have a long tradition of culinary use, primarily for cordial and wine. It grows in a variety of conditions including both wet and dry fertile soils, primarily in sunny locations.

The flowers are the delicate clusters of cream-coloured blossoms on elderberry trees. They burst into flower at the start of the summer, and have a short season, usually no more than a few weeks, before the blossoms are past their best.