Best dark-leaved sambucus to grow?
By Andrewr
Berkshire, England
I'm thinking of planting a dark-leaved sambucus (elder) and growing it for foliage effect so it will be hard pruned on a regular basis. Does anyone grow any of these? How dark is the leaf colour, are you growing it in sun or shade, and do you cut it back?
On plant
Sambucus
- 8 May, 2009
Answers
Mine is also in the shade for most of the day, and it's great. Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty'. There's another one with lacy leaves, but I preferred this one. It has pink clusters of flowers. I trim it in early spring, if it needs it.
8 May, 2009
I had a Nigra 'Black Beauty' in another house and I loved it.
8 May, 2009
I have "Black Beauty", with normal, elderberry shaped foliage, and also "Black Lace" (the lacier-leafed variety. Both grow in semi-shade. I trim very seldom, and really like the flowers and dark berries.
19 May, 2009
Related photos
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Sambucus Nigra Bare Root Hedging
£32.99 at Best 4 Plants -
Sambucus Nigra Black Lace 1 Plant 3 Litre
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Sambucus Nigra F. Porphyrophylla 'Gerda' (Pbr) (Black Elder (Syn. Black Beauty))
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Sambucus Racemosa 'sutherland Gold'
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I ve got one that I split a couple of years ago, so now I have two.
Really dark leaves, one grows in sun/semi shade the other grows well in shade by my tree ferns.
I trim them back just for shape as and when I need too. Mainly early spring but also through out the year if required.
You can see one of them Andrew on one of my latest garden pics of my front garden. It is in the left hand border just behind the badger.
8 May, 2009