All parts of the Elder plant is toxic, including the berries that are so frequently used in foods and certain wine production. The only way to consume the berries of elders safely is to cook the MATURE berry. There are some sources that believe as long as the berry is fully ripe, that it is harmless. Every other part of the elder plant, though, is highly toxic--the leaves, branches, bark and especially the roots--containing a glycoside that produces cyanide when it has been metabolized by the body's digestive system. So, medicinal teas made with elder leaves should be consumed with caution. The wines and marmalade made from mature berries are perfectly safe. The power of the poisonous Elder tree has been revered since ancient times, where the presence of an Elder tree was meant to ward off evil and protect the area from witches.. though, conversely, several folk tales have witches congregating beneath the Elder trees, especially when they were ripe with fruit. There is ...