ARS | Publication request: Elderberry: Botany, Horticulture, Potential

Submitted to: Horticultural Reviews
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 13, 2009
Publication Date: May 1, 2010
Citation: Charlebois, D., Byers, P., Finn, C.E., Thomas, A.L. 2010. Elderberry:botany, horticulture, potential. Horticultural Reviews. 37:213-280.

Interpretive Summary: Horticultural Review allows extensive reviews of the state of the knowledge on certain topics or crops. Elderberry: Botany, Horticulture, Potential, is outlined with an Introduction, Botany, Horticulture, Propagation, Uses and Conclusion sections. Elderberry is a crop with a long history of wild harvest with a tradition tracing well back in native cultures. While it has had a long history of use in jelly type products, especially as North America was colonized by folks of European descent, more recently it has found a substantial market as a wine and nutraceutical product. A number of modern medical research programs have examined its use in modern medicine. In order to meet these demands for fruit, growers need to understand the information that is available as they choose sites, propagate, plant and then manage plantings. The botany of this crop has also been in flux and this review helps to try to pin down the state of the discussion.

Technical Abstract: Horticultural Review allows extensive reviews of the state of the knowledge on certain topics or crops. Elderberry: Botany, Horticulture, Potential, is outlined with an Introduction, Botany, Horticulture, Propagation, Uses and Conclusion sections. This review compiles literature from around the world. This is invaluable for lesser known crops such as elderberry where scientific information is often hard to come by.