What do elder leaves smell like?

[ksmith]

I'm finding descriptions like "foul," but I need to narrow it down. Rotted vegetation? Crap?

And would dried leaves smell the same as fresh, or would the aroma have faded?.

Comments

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

This (http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/plantprofiles/elder.php) says "mice nests," but doesn't say if the dried leaves smell different than fresh.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

And even though I had a mouse infestation this past autumn, I never detected much of a smell. Urine? Musty? I've also seen it called "fetid," but there's sweet fetid, like dead flowers. There's the salty impact of sewage. Sharp odor of sweat.

[houseboatonstyx.livejournal.com]

Alder leaves smell lovely at all stages. Dunno if they're the same as elders, though.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

They're different trees.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Mice nests smell musty and kind of gamey. Definitely not a sewer or a sweet-rot smell.

Somewhat oddly, elderflowers have a beautiful, sweet fragrance, faintly narcotic, and you can cook and make wine with them. They're nothing at all like the leaves.

[mindyklasky.livejournal.com]

If you still don't have a solid answer, check with Liz Williams (mevennen, here on LJ.) She's written about drinking elder tea, I think...