Missouri will host international elderberry symposium

By Doug Rich

This specialty crop is not really new but the interest in it is new.

Elderberries are native to the U.S. and have been grown successfully in every state, with the possible exception of Hawaii. Terry Durham, an elderberry producer from Missouri, said elderberries can be grown in every county in the Midwest.

The health benefits of the crop have attracted people for hundreds of year. Hippocrates called elderberries his "medicine chest." Elderberries are commonly used to boost the immune system, lower cholesterol, improve vision and to lessen joint and muscle pain.

"Elderberry is an understudied and neglected crop," Andrew Thomas, research assistant professor of plant sciences at the University of Missouri, said. "When you look at its antioxidant content, it is nearly off the charts. It's fairly easy to grow, internationally known and has many uses including wine, juice, jams, cooking food colorants and increasingly in medicinal/nutraceutical products."

Thomas has been growing elderberries on at the University of Missouri Southwest Missouri Research Center for 15 years.

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