Since 1922, Alvita has been making the finest herb tea money can buy. Pure, natural singles and blends that bring you unsurpassed enjoyment, healthful benefits and complete satisfaction. No less reassuring is our unwavering commitment to the environment. Today, no herb tea company goes as far to protect the Earth and its precious resources - this package and its contents being testimony. There is no plastic shrink wrap on the outside. The box is 100% recycled board that can be recycled again. The finish is water-based. And inside, a single, reusable wax bag, instead of a polybag seals in freshness. Our tea bags are English Pillow Style, with no strings, tags, or staples attached. Even the tea bag paper is recyclable. And all our bags are oxygen bleached, not chlorine bleached, to safeguard you and our ground water. Degradable. Recyclable. Reusable. The key component of each is the word "able". At Alvita, we wholeheartedly believe we are all able to play a key role in preserving the wondrous world we live in. For us, it starts with offering you the most environmentally safe and responsible herb teas possible. Native to Europe and North America, Elderberry (sambucus nigra) is considered a shrub but can resemble a tree. It produces serrated leaves, delicate flowers, and juicy berries that are used for their beneficial properties. The Elderberry has been involved in human history for centuries, with a reputation for healing both the body and spirit. In fact, the plant was used so widely and considered so important and valuable that it earned the epithet, "the a substance used in managing discomfort chest of the country people." The berries are ready for harvest in late summer and are rich in Vitamin C. They are often the main ingredient in pies, jellies, wines, and cordials. A healing, soothing syrup and tea can also be brewed from Elderberry.