Elderflower Tincture

Elderflower, not only does it smell divine on a summers day, not only do pollinators love it’s sweet scent and delicate flowers, it makes great cordial, champagne, flavours cakes beautifully and even looks great in flower arrangements. Did you know it also has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, it is high in anti-oxidants and vitamin C, is antiseptic and anti viral and therefore is also a great addition to your medicine cabinet ahead of the colder months setting in.

“Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts made by soaking the bark, berries, leaves (dried or fresh), or roots from one or more plants in alcohol or vinegar. The alcohol or vinegar pulls out the active ingredients in the plant parts, concentrating them as a liquid”

They can be great homemade herbal for many things and Elderflower tincture is great for the common cold, for helping to clear sinuses and as a pick me up when feeling a little run down .

🌱Make your own tincture whilst elderflower is in bloom.

Pack a sterilised jar with elderflower heads (cut as much of the stems off as possible as these are toxic) and cover completely with a clear alcohol / vinegar (I use 40%+ vodka) seal with a lid and store in a cool dark place for about eight weeks, shaking the contents once a week (label the jar so you don’t forget when you started it)

After eight weeks, strain the contents and decant into a dark dropper bottle to keep it as fresh as you can, you can keep it in the fridge if you like but it will keep in a cool dark place (don’t forget to label it)

To use dissolve a teaspoon in cold water twice a day, to help symptoms of a sinus infection or cold and to give the immune system a little boost.

I’ve made mine ready for this winter, a bottle small enough that can be used and a batch made fresh next summer! Harness the power of natural remedies and have a go yourself.