Elder tree looking a bit sickly

Hard to see - is it sort of yellowing off a bit? As long as nothing extreme has happened to it (eg total drought, total waterlogging) I expect it'll recover next Spring, they're hard to kill, that's why every hedgerow in Britain is full of them. You could check for fungus at the base or some other sort of infestation, but I suspect it's just starting Autumn early.

 

I agree, it's a bit hard to see...from the pic

 

Try not to take it personally! Are you sure that your dog hasn't chewed the bark off on your side, or someone's been a bit over-enthusiastic with the secateurs and somehow omitted to mention it? If it's OK on the neighbours' side it's definitely still alive, anyway.

 

Is that big conifer thing pinching all its light off it?

 

Oooh yes, I'd have that down PDQ!

 

Elder will take a reasonable amount of shade. It grows in the woods under the canopy of larger trees, so I think light is probably ok.

The ones on my land are all growing in rich, moist soil. Maybe if you empty a couple of sacks of rotted horse poo around the base of it and give it a good watering, that might help.

I think cutting it back might help too, but if you're superstitious, remember to ask its permission before cutting it, thank it afterwards, don't take any of the wood into your house, and whatever you do, don't burn it. Or if you're not superstitious just chop it and burn/bin the bits.

 

I think it's probably the conifer taking the water from the soil, they are thirsty plants.

 

The souls of witches that had been executed are said to reside in the Elder tree. Because they've been executed, and can no longer get done, you are fair game if you wound them. That means you have to be extremely courteous otherwise the witch may curse you. Quite how they do that is beyond me, and I've yet to find an example in any literature I've read, but apparently they can

Incidentally, a superstitious pregnant lady might be seen kissing an Elder tree, as doing so is said to win the favour of the witch residing in it, thus winning a witch as an ally to ensure the wellbeing of the unborn child. Personally if I saw a pregnant lady kissing a tree, I'd put it down to hormonal craziness but that's just my opinion

Elder trees contain a neurotoxin in all parts (including the 'edible' berries), which can in small doses cause palpitations and dizziness, but in larger doses can be very dangerous (I'm not sure if anyone has died from it) but that's probably why superstition teaches people to treat it with caution. It stinks when it burns and doesn't generate much heat, so that's probably why we're told not to burn it. Sometimes its just easier to blame a witch, sneaking about and cackling all over the place. Never trust a woman is what I say.