Sambucus nigra "Black Lace" in bloom.

Oooooh, lovely :o)

Seeing this photo made me go and check my plant again. Still no blooms nor any sign of them! Perhaps I cut it back too hard? So pretty.

Maybe, Gee. It's a real shame you're not getting any blooms this year. :-(

Stunning David !

Wonderful shrub David, do you have a spot to let it grow to it's full potential or are you going to keep it pruned back. I've heard it really takes well to pruning.

Fl, I have to keep this one in a large pot, so I want to contain it to only about 5ft in height. Mine is (just measured) about 3 and a half ft tall, so haven't pruned yet. I believe that it is not averse to a "haircut", like its natural, green-leaved cousin, but have had reports from one or two GOY members that, following pruning, their ornamental ones haven't bloomed this year. :-(

Mine loves to get a haircut, the more I prune it the fuller it gets. The sambucus bloom on new "flowering stems" which emanate from old wood. So if yours doesn't die back completely to the ground each winter it should bloom for you each year, even if you pruned it as late as September. For reliable bloom, just don't start pruning on it until the blooms start to fade in June, or early July, after that it's game on !

Many Thanks for this info, Fl. I like to see the dark brown berries even more than the flowers. These are just beginning to appear now. :-)

Something that I haven't gotten to see yet David. (Wonder why ?...lol). Maybe one of these years after I get it to the desired shape and fullness, mine will bless me with some berries too....:-)