An elderflower is the small, creamy white blossom that grows in clusters on elder trees during late spring and early summer. These delicate flowers have a sweet, floral scent and a distinctive honey-like flavor that makes them popular in cooking and drinks.

Elder trees grow wild across Europe and North America, and for centuries people have gathered their flowers to make syrups, cordials, and teas. In Britain, elderflower cordial is a traditional summer drink: sweet, refreshing, and often mixed with sparkling water. Elderflower also appears in fancy desserts, jams, and even sparkling wine. The flowers can be dipped in batter and fried to make fritters.

The elder tree produces these flowers before growing dark purple berries later in the season, which are also edible when cooked. But the flowers come first, signaling the arrival of warm weather. If you see elderflower listed as an ingredient in lemonade, cake, or candy, you're tasting those fragrant spring blossoms that someone carefully picked and preserved.

Foragers who gather elderflowers need to identify the tree correctly, since some similar-looking plants aren't safe to eat. But once you know what elder trees look like, their distinctive scent makes the flowers easy to recognize.