Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'

Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'
(sam-BYOO-kus) (NY-gruh)

I first saw this plant last year when I had a private tour of the gardens at Highgrove. I was instantly attracted to it as it stood out among the greenery of the stumpery. It has a much darker color than Diablo Ninebark. My experience in Sambucus culture has been mixed, as they seem to be kind of a weak growing plant. I have taken to cutting a few of the major canes back to the ground and that has seemed to help. This plant seems to be a little stronger growing and has a couple of seasons of interest. I am going to have to try a couple next year. The foliage color is the obvious main attraction but the pictures of the flowers I have seen are also attractive. The flowers are followed by black-red berries. I think one of the best traits about this plant is that it holds it color throughout the summer. It is being marketed as an alternative to Japanese Maples for northern gardeners (it is hardy to USDA Zone 4).

I got the job that I posted the plant list for last week. I am excited, as it is a nice way to finish the planting season. It will probably take about two weeks to finish. The beds a completely bare now so it will be hard to mess it up. I will planting some interesting plants as well as adding a couple of boulders. I love doing planting jobs, it is probably the most satisfying part of my job.

(Synonyms: ‘Eva’)

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