Elderberry (Sambucus)
Herb of the Year 2013
Sambucus (pronounced sam-BEW-kis) is the Latin name for elder, however, the term elder is derived from the Anglo-Saxon "aeld" which means fire. This came about because hollow stems of the elder were used to blow air onto fire. In general elder is a deciduous shrub of the honeysuckle family that consists of about 20 species cultivated for its fruit and flowers. ...
The Potomac Unit of The Herb Society of America, Inc., was formed in 1964. It is a non-profit organization, located in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Our mission is dedicated to promoting the knowledge, use and delight of herbs through educational programs, research and sharing the experience of our members with the community.
Our dedicated group supports the National Herb Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum, the National Library of Medicine’s Herb Garden, and Meadowlark Botanical Gardens’ Herb Garden. Our fundraisers include the annual Friends of The National Arboretum Plant Sale where much of our proceeds contribute to financing an intern to work in the National Herb Garden. We also have herbal crafts workshops, botanical bead workshops, and an active herb study and culinary group, where our meetings are not only informative and creative, but finish with a delightful herbal feast.
The Potomac Unit has five general attendance meetings a year, at various locations throughout the Washington D.C. area. These meetings start with an interesting program then proceed with the business meeting and complete with a delectable buffet catered by members.
Guests are always welcome to our meetings