The elderberry is a shrub up to 7 m (23 ft high distributed throughout Europe, western Asia and North America. The white flowers, appearing in late spring - early summer, are followed by black fruits (nigra in Latin means black) - three-seeded berries, or rather drupes.
It is a biennial with large leaves and tall stems up to 1 m (3 ft) high, and a good plant for the herb garden because it is hardy and the leaves may be used throughout the winter when fresh herbs are scarce.
In Germany it is used mostly to flavour beans (hence the name Bohnenkraut) and in English and French cookery in stuffing for turkey and roast veal. It is also good with fish and pickled vegetables. The youngest terminal leaflets have the most delicate aroma and are delicious in salads. Savory is also used to flavour sausage meat.
Nowadays they are used to flavour compotes, jellies and jams. They may also be added to flaky pastry. The flowers or extracts prepared from the flowers are also used by the pharmaceutical industry in medicines that stimulate secretion of the sweat glands. The berries have a strong flavour and are used to make jams and juices rich in Vitamin C.
Summer savory is treated as an annual herb up to 30 cm (1 ft) high with stem that becomes woody at the base and branches like a shrub. The linear-lanceolate, short-stalked leaves are dotted on both sides with glands. The flowering period is from July until the frost; the fruits are nutlets.
It is very suitable for growing in the herb garden. Propagation is by means of seeds sown outdoors where the plants are to grow in early spring. The non-woody flowering top parts of the plant are gathered. These are tied in bunches and dried in a well-ventilated spot at a temperature not exceeding 35C (95F). They should then be stored in air-tight containers - 15266
It is a biennial with large leaves and tall stems up to 1 m (3 ft) high, and a good plant for the herb garden because it is hardy and the leaves may be used throughout the winter when fresh herbs are scarce.
In Germany it is used mostly to flavour beans (hence the name Bohnenkraut) and in English and French cookery in stuffing for turkey and roast veal. It is also good with fish and pickled vegetables. The youngest terminal leaflets have the most delicate aroma and are delicious in salads. Savory is also used to flavour sausage meat.
Nowadays they are used to flavour compotes, jellies and jams. They may also be added to flaky pastry. The flowers or extracts prepared from the flowers are also used by the pharmaceutical industry in medicines that stimulate secretion of the sweat glands. The berries have a strong flavour and are used to make jams and juices rich in Vitamin C.
Summer savory is treated as an annual herb up to 30 cm (1 ft) high with stem that becomes woody at the base and branches like a shrub. The linear-lanceolate, short-stalked leaves are dotted on both sides with glands. The flowering period is from July until the frost; the fruits are nutlets.
It is very suitable for growing in the herb garden. Propagation is by means of seeds sown outdoors where the plants are to grow in early spring. The non-woody flowering top parts of the plant are gathered. These are tied in bunches and dried in a well-ventilated spot at a temperature not exceeding 35C (95F). They should then be stored in air-tight containers - 15266
