Sambucus nigra
The clustered ebony-purple berries of this large shrub are both edible and medicinal. Elderberries are prepared into wine, jam, infused honey, tea, syrup, and mead (honey wine). The syrup has become quite popular recently as a remedy for flus, but elderberry has been used medicinally for centuries in Europe and North America for a wide variety of ailments. The fruit is a tonic food and medicine for arthritic complaints. Addition- ally, elderberries are helpful in colds (as well as the flu) due to their antiviral, diaphoretic (helps break fevers), and anticatarrhal (decongestant) qualities.