Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' is an appealing choice if you?re looking for a plant with interesting and light-coloured foliage to fill a gap in a large garden border. The European Red Elder has bright yellow-green, feathery leaves, contrasting wonderfully with shrubs with dark green foliage. Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' grows well in all types of soil, but is happiest in a spot that is both well-drained and moist. Conical heads of creamy white flowers are produced in late summer, followed by elderberries. Height and spread: 2.5m (8.2').
With its dramatic black foliage and beautiful creamy-pink flowers, Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' is a real head turner! An ornamental form of the common elder, it's a real favourite with leading garden designers because of its stunning deeply divided leaves and manageability, plus as a holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, it's been judged to be perfect for UK gardens. Flowering from May to June, Black Lace produces stunning umbels of dainty pink, star-shaped blooms with a subtle, lemon fragrance. These fade from rich pink to pale pink, contrasting wonderfully with its luxurious, purple-black, fern-like foliage. In autumn, the pollen-rich flowers are followed by purple-black, shiny, round berries that will attract plenty of wildlife into your garden. Looking like a desirable Acer tree but at the fraction of the cost, it's fully hardy, robust and a breeze to look after - it'll tolerate really harsh pruning too, springing back to life even when cut almost to the ground. As an added bonus, and perfect if you're into growing your own, the berries will make vitamin-rich, home-made cordials and the flowers can be used to make Elderflower Champagne! Supplied as an established plant in a 2L pot, ready to plant straight out. To get a great display of fresh, dark leaves, cut back to ground level each year in early spring and apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base.
Very few shrubs are able to boast such rich, almost black foliage, but this recently introduced Elder does just that. The striking, fine cut leaves are an intense shade of dark purple, changing to a vibrant red in autumn. In summer, large clusters of small fragrant pink flowers are borne, which are later replaced by glossy black berries, especially attractive to birds, but can be left to ripen to make a wonderful wine. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ?Black Lace? is an easy to grow, hardy, deciduous shrub and grows best in full sun. Adapts well to most soil conditions and very easy to maintain, making an attractive addition to borders, woodlands and wildlife gardens. Height: 3m (10?). Spread: 2m (6?).
A wonderfully decorative shrub with black foliage and panicles of starry pink, citrus fragranced, blooms from early summer. Autumn sees the emergence of glossy black berries that are a useful food source for birds. Ideal for a patio container when young, then transfer to the garden when larger. Ht. 4-6m.
Most people know Elder to be invasive and only fit for large gardens, but Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ?Black Tower? is dense and compact and suitable for small gardens where space is an issue. The dark green foliage is the main attraction to this deciduous shrub, growing in a tall and slender habit if given the correct conditions. Flattened sprays of lightly scented small pink flowers emerge in summer, then dark glossy berries take to stage and provide a great food source for garden birds in autumn. Mainly used as a dramatic stand-alone plant, growing well in borders. Height: 2.5m (8?). Spread: 1.2m (4?).
This outstanding deciduous shrub boasts dramatic purple-black foliage that looks extremely effective when planted amongst other shrubs in the border. Red buds open to form clusters of scented reddish-pink flowers in early summer, followed by glossy black berries in autumn, which are a popular food source for garden birds. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ?Thundercloud? is a fantastic ornamental Elder and has received the coveted RHS AGM, due to its visual appeal and low maintenance. Its dense, upright habit and tolerance to most soil conditions makes this an ideal choice for most gardens, but the sunnier the position given, the darker the leaves will be. Height: 3m (10?). Spread: 2.5m (8?).