Wild Elderberry

 Sambucus canadensis. Boost your immune system with both the flowers and berries of this North American native plant. Have a go at creating extracts or tinctures, even syrup for your pancakes (we love this as an alternative to maple syrup). Also, try your hand at drying the berries for tea; there is a long list of possible uses. Once established, the plants spread by putting out suckers allowing a colony to form. Rejuvenating easily, the colonies can be managed by pruning back in late fall or very early spring. They grow naturally along river banks and roadsides but perform perfectly in any moist, well-drained soil. Zones 3-8.