Flora

Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale), also known as purple comfrey or true comfrey, is a perennial plant with purple or pink bell-shaped flowers. Its juicy, roughly hairy stem grows between 20 and 100 cm in height, while its rough, hairy leaves are arranged alternately along the stem. Its perennial fusiform root is branched and succulent, and grows deep into the soil. Both the leaves and the root are used for wound treatments as comfrey contains allantoin, a compound known for its skin-soothing and healing properties. It is also used to treat various digestive issues, pneumonia, and other illnesses.

Black elder or elderberry (Sambucus nigra) grows as a shrub or a tree, and can grow to six metres in height. Its small, yellowish-white flowers form large umbels. The leaves are 10 to 30 cm long and arranged in pairs. The fruit is a small dark berry that grows in large bunches. Elderberry tea is used to treat respiratory illnesses, diabetes, and rheumatic diseases. It lowers high fever and acts as a diuretic. Its flowers are used to make syrup, while ripe berries are used to make jams and wine. Leaves and bark of the tree are poisonous.

(Željka Šaravanja)