Sunday 30 June 2024

Chinese Elder

Chinese Elder (Sambucus javanica, 接骨草).

A tropical perennial herb, it is now in bloom on Yuelu Mountain. Shrubs grow up to serval meters and can be found in tropical and subtropical forests from Afghanistan to Japan. I have found mixed information about eating the fruit, flowers and new leaves: cooking the fruit is often suggested to remove toxins. The roots, stems and leaves have a long history in medicine, especially for treating pain and numbness.
Chinese Elder on Yuelu Mountain