Sambucus Black Lace is a recent introduction it has almost black, dissected foliage and from May to June pale pink, musk-scented blooms emerge from beautiful creamy-pink buds. It makes an excellent shrub for all styles of gardens and has the added bonus of having blackish-red berries in autumn which are attractive to birds and when ripe can be used to make a wonderful wine. For best foliage colour grow it in full sun, otherwise it can fade to a greenish-bronze.
To achieve the best foliage effect cut back to ground level each year in early spring and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant.
This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Height after 10 years 180-200cm
- Full sun or partial shade
- Moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
- Average rate of growth
- Flowers in June
- Fully hardy