Sambucus

This is very pretty, Ang ...
whatever it is called.... Lol.

Oh love this........on my wishlist for next year...........

Mine is like this - I actually prefer it to 'Black Lace'. It's very happy in a partly shaded area, I lost the one I had in the sun.

So pretty.

thanks all, i really like it too, the draw back my friends one seems to have is it can look very thin, where as this is nice and bushy, so not too upset about it, and yes Spritz this is in semi shade, do you know the real name of this variety?

Mine is Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty'', Angie. That's probably what yours is as well, with its pink flowers.

thanks Spritz i will re-name it

Yes, i think it's probably Black Beauty, Black Lace has finely cut leaves that remind people of a finely cut Acer.

I think Louise1and Spritz are right...I have the black lace and the flowers are identical to yours, just the leaves are different. If you look at the specie you will see that the leaves on your plant look similar to it in shape but have the lovely dark colouration. Great plant .... I love mine...the leaves remind me of an aralia.

I have a S. nigra "black Lace" and also the common NA form..S.canadensis... will post up a pic.of it for you... very interesting plant...the berries are healthy and are used to make wine and preserves...but the plant itself is poisonous if consumed.
The flowers on yours have the pink in them, just like the black lace...so pretty...sweet smelling...can't wait for the berries!!

i know just what you mean Louise, i really like thoughs Acers...as this is not the back lace that i thought i had bought i may just invest in one of thoughs Acers, i like the ones that trail a bit. thanks for all that info Lori, i did'nt know you could eat the berries, we have a great big green tree at the back of the garden, the one with the white flowers, they are kindof weed trees over here..... and the berries get everywhere, i really like the dark leaf varieties and the pale pink flowers really do set it all off don't they.

I don't know about using the berries of the hybrids...but I know that in the early years of settlement in NA the syrup made from the berries of the specie was made into a vitamin rich drink ...and wine!

mmmmm wine...i like the sound of that ;-) lol