Unpack bare roots or rhizomes on arrival and plant them within a week. Until then, keep them somewhere cool and ensure the roots remain slightly moist, never wet.
Out of season
The cumulonimbus of the plant world, Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ is here to bring a bolt of drama, contrast, texture and fragrance to the garden, and does so without any element of fuss – just easy, undemanding, peaceful darkness to supercharge other colours around it. It’s an absolute storm of a shrub, not just for its dark mass of lacy foliage, flickering with sparky clusters of pink and white blooms, but for its powerful impact on the garden and ability to rumble on regardless all season long with very little input from you. Whatever you plant it with, the near-black backdrop of this shrub provides shock-factor – any neighbouring plants will glow against this tempest of dark foliage and bring vibrant energy to the space.
Capable of growing up to 3m tall and wide, this popular black elder can be a shrub for a large space, or you can easily prune it to keep it more compact. It doesn’t grow especially quickly so it’s certainly manageable – when it reaches the size you want it to be, just prune excess growth in late autumn or early spring. Flowers appear in summer and they’re a hit with pollinators like bees and butterflies, they have a slight musky fragrance too. For the rest of the season, from spring to autumn, enjoy the maroon-black lacy foliage. Also in autumn this shrub will be dotted with black glossy elderberries which garden birds love to eat. In winter, the branches of this deciduous shrub are bare, soon to grow fresh new leaves the following spring. This shrub is so fantastic that it have been given an RHS Award of Garden Merit – a true seal of approval for plants.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Remove the packaging straight away, check the compost and water thoroughly if dry. Check the plant’s hardiness before placing it outdoors. Plant into a border or permanent container within a month, choosing the position recommended for the variety. Keep the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil, firm gently and water well.
Soak the roots in water for three to six hours immediately before planting. Keep any crown, buds or emerging shoots above the water where possible.
Pot most bare roots into 15–20cm pots filled with peat-free multipurpose compost. Large or depth-sensitive roots, including peonies, are often best planted directly into borders.
Arrange the roots naturally without bending them. Cover the roots completely, positioning the crown and buds at the depth recommended for that particular perennial.
Keep pots in a sheltered outdoor position and water whenever the compost begins to dry. Grow on until roots hold the compost together when lifted from the pot.
Plant into a suitable border or permanent container once well rooted. Add a label and water regularly throughout the first growing season while the perennial establishes.
- Botanical name
- Sambucus 'Black Lace' syn. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Eva'ᴾᴮᴿ
- Flower colour
- Pale pink
- Established height
- 2.5-3m
- Established spread
- 1.5-2m
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
-
Clump-forming
Upright - Hardiness
- Fully hardy
- Leaf colour
- Near-black
- Mouse resistant
- Yes
- Plant size
- 1
- Plant spacing
- 1 plants per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- Yes
- Position
-
Sheltered
Exposed - Rabbit resistant
- Yes
- RHS Award (AGM)
- Yes
- Scented
- Yes
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Clay
Loam
Multipurpose compost - Suitable for
-
Pots
Large containers
Borders
Gravel gardens
Wildlife gardens
Cottage gardens
Low maintenance gardens - Sunlight
-
Full sun
Partial shade
Dappled shade - Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1-2 years
Perfect for pots
Fragrant
Thrives in full sun
RHS Recommended
Perennial
Fully hardy
Packed peat-free
Drought tolerant
Low maintenance
Attracts wildlife
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Sambucus 'Black Lace' reviews
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