To harvest the berries, cut entire clusters with pruning shears, just below the base of the fruits. Collect the clusters in a basket, bucket, or plastic bag. Once the berries are harvested, they must be removed from the stems. The stems and leaves are toxic and should not be consumed.

Make sure that the drying area is far away from dust and dirt but is in a position to receive direct sunlight. Leave the elderberries to dry. It usually takes three days, but drying time can be longer or shorter depending on the weather.

RAW AND DRIED ELDERBERRIES CAN CAUSE SEVERE CYANIDE POISONING… SEVERE SICKNESS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, FAST HEARTBEAT, STUPOR, and DEATH. IN ITS RAW FORM CYANIDE IS PRODUCED AND this is the poisoning I experienced about 15 minutes after drinking the drink.

It takes only a cup of incorrectly prepared elderberry juice, wine, or tea to result in mild sickness, but you would have to drink up to five glasses to be in life-threatening danger.

The berries of Black Elder, Sambucus nigra, are used in many elderberry syrups, used for building the immune system and especially for fighting viruses in flu and laryngitis.

Only fully ripe berries should be consumed, and again, cooking the berries destroys the glycosides present in the seeds which can cause nausea and other gastro-intestinal upset. While the other parts of this plant have been used for everything from making baskets to flutes, all are toxic and should not be eaten.

To get the most flowers and berries, plant elderberries in full sun. Partial shade can be tolerated if you are growing the plant for its decorative foliage. Plant elderberries in the ground at the same depth as their roots. Elderberries are shallow-rooted, so keep them well watered through the first growing season.