The winter berries of guelder rose
In darkest winter, one plant lighting up woodland edge or hedgerow is the ‘guelder rose’; also known as ‘red elder’, ‘rose elder’, and various other names like ‘high cranberry’.
Used in herbal medicine its bark, known as ‘cramp bark’, was made into a tincture to treat asthmatic spasms and hysteria.
Apparently, it also alleviated lockjaw (i.e. tetanus), heart disease, and rheumatism.
The bright red wintertime berries are truly striking and described in Mrs Grieve’s herbal as ‘…..perhaps the most ornamental of our wild fruits’.
Geoffrey Chaucer recommended them (the ‘Gaitre-beries’) to ‘picke hem right as they grow and ete hem in’.
However, whilst they might indeed be edible, being bitter, they do not taste great straight from the bush, and also they smell rather unpleasant too.
Grieve also suggests the name ‘Guelder’ is from the Dutch province Gueldersland where the shrub was formerly cultivated as the ‘Gueldres rose’.
At this time of year you can enjoy these along country lane hedgerows and watch robins feast on the berries!
Alongside rowans and hawthorns with their berries, and both alder and birch with their catkins, these are vital for winter birds both visiting and resident.
Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer & broadcaster on wildlife & environmental issues, is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet. org; follow Ian’s blog (https:// ianswalkonthewildside. wordpress.com/) and Twitter @IanThewildside