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The genus Sambucus includes many species and subspecies of elderberry. Here, we compare 3 of the commonly harvested elderberry species in the US: Western blue elderberry, American black elderberry, and European black elderberry.
North America’s indigenous people were the first harvesters and tenders of blue elderberry in California. Sage LaPena, Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, share Indigenous perspectives on culinary, medicinal and cultural uses of elderberry.
This page provides links to SAREP's webpages on growing elderberries in California that cover: how to propagate blue elderberry; site selection, cultivation & planting; Sacramento Valley elderberry Field assessment; blue elderberry compared to black; and valley elderberry longhorn beetle.
This page provides information to prepare growers for planting blue elderberry, including blue elderberry natural habitat, planting requirements, planting considerations, planting design, irrigation and weed control.
Elderberries are often touted for health benefits due to high levels of “phenolics” or “antioxidants." Health-promoting compounds, other elderberry components, aroma compounds, and blue elderberry composition are described.
This page provide and overview and links to SAREP's elderberry food safety best practice guides. This guide series include resources, videos, webinars and step-by-step guidance for elderberry food safety during harvest, post-harvest, drying, and elderberry freezing, storage and holding.
This guide outlines best practices and food safety recommendations for harvesting elderberries and elderflowers and is part of our series on Food Safety Best Practices for Elderberry.
In this guide, we outline food safety best practices for post-harvest handling and washing of elderberries destined for human consumption in the form of value-added products such as tea, syrup, juices, jelly, and jam.
Freezing is a practical method for extending the shelf-life of elderberries and preserving taste, color, and nutritional value. In this guide, we cover the food safety best practices for freezing elderberries, including cleaning & sanitizing, freezing equipment and packing & storing, monitoring temperature.
