Sometimes propagated as an ornamental shrub, the elderberry bush is a member of the honeysuckle family. It attracts birds and butterflies and can be pruned back every few years to keep it looking good in a landscaped garden. This deciduous shrub produces a fruit that, in recent years has become very popular.

Elderberry is one of those quirky little fruits. If you consume them uncooked, it could cause a severe reaction on your stomach and gut, but once cooked, they can relieve quite a few ailments. One of the most common uses in modern times is to treat the flu. One 2004 study of 60 people with influenza found that those who took 15 mL of elderberry syrup four times per day showed symptom improvement in 2 to 4 days, while the control group took 7 to 8 days to improve. I don't know about you, but this is enough evidence for me to keep elderberry in my cupboard. In folk medicine, elderberry was used to help treat dental pain, headaches, and used as a laxative and diuretic.
Now I know that not everyone wants to stock their spice rack with elderberry, but you can stock your fridge. Elderberry can be made into jams.  Just imagine the next time you have a headache, and instead of reaching for a pill, you make yourself some toast or a PBJ with elderberry jam. I wouldn't suggest the jam for a tooth ache, but a nice warm elderberry tea could do the trick