Are ederberries a nuisance or nature’s gift?

There’s an old saying that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. It’s a similar story for elderberries — nuisance for some, valuable crop to others.

It’s true: Elderberries do behave like weeds in many ways.

These large shrubs pop up along fences, in ditches, on vacant lots. They grow quickly, spreading with ease thanks to an extensive root system and numerous seeds. With unassuming white flower clusters, tiny berries and a scraggly growth habit, they aren’t much to look at.

And yet elderberries have their benefits. For one, their BB-sized berries are an important food source for all sorts of wildlife. They serve as a host plant for several moth species, and their plentiful flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators.

People, of course, also make use of elderbe