Ruis or Elder

A smelly gift
More of a bush than a tree, elder has sharply toothed spear-shaped leaves, with five to seven leaves paired on each twig. The twig itself contains a soft, white milky pith, and the leaves often have a rather acrid smell. This odour reflects the particular gift of the elder, which is to transform the organic substances it grows in and rebalance the soil.

Nitrogen converter
Typically it is found with nettles on old dumps, where the soil is full of nitrogen. The elder roots spread out initially from a gnarled centre, checking for nutrients and, when found, grow downwards. New shoots can appear from any part of its trunk at any time. Elder grows equally well in banks and hedges (where it is excellent for layering), by rivers or in open woodland.

Juices and wines
Large rings of strongly scented, bisexual flowers appear in June, and their creamy-white clusters change in autumn to the shiny black juicy berries that hang heavily from the tree. Both flower and berry are commonly used for many varieties of wine.

Fears and infections
As well as the berries, every part of elder - bark, root and leaves - can have use. Sambucus is made from the elder, (it belongs to the honeysuckle family, sambucus nigra) which treats infection. It can also be used to treat irrational fears, or bad dreams and psychosomatic illness.

Frau Holla
Known often as the bore-tree, the elder was also called Frau Holla, ‘holun tar’ (tree of Holla in Germany) and Hyllemoer (Elder Mother in Danish). Elder is commonly understood as guardian of house and farm and an invisible protection. To keep away illness and bad luck, elder was offered milk (Swedish), bread and beer (Prussian); and cakes and milk (Scots), and its wood was generally not cut down or burnt without good reason. ‘Hats off to the Elder!’ was a widespread farmer’s saying in Switzerland and parts of Germany. Unfortunately, due to elder representing the thirteenth month, it is sometimes known as the ‘evil elder’ and associated with Judas Iscariot (who hanged himself on an elder). Although such attribute is therefore inaccurate, it does have association with death (being the last month of the year), and Frau Holle, ancient ‘crone’ of the triad of the White Goddess, still has the mystery of the ‘spey-wife’ about her - she has been there!