Comments on: Sambucus nigra. “Black Lace” Elderberry

By: Administrator

Administrator — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:00:19 +0000

Mine, planted in 2007, are now as high as 12 feet tall if I don’t cut them back, but they’re just getting too big and unruly so I AM going to cut them back this year.

By: Carole

Carole — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:54:47 +0000

Deer resistant is indeed a joke (actually I’ve found that with a lot of ‘deer’ resistant plants – our deer love daylilies). We too have a doe and twins who love nibbling the black lace. When we planted it last fall we surrounded it with fencing. This year it busted out with new growth, but we’re still keeping the fencing in tact so the deer won’t damage the bark. Once the plant has grown more tree like, hopefully the fencing can be removed, or at least used only for protection of the trunk.

A local nursery has a black lace that is several feet tall and absolutely gorgeous. That’s our goal. We did lose one branch in a recent wind storm, but since the plant is supposed to be pinched back and pruned for shape anyway, hopefully the loss of that branch won’t be too detrimental to it’s growth.

By: Richard Wheeler

Richard Wheeler — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 01:35:10 +0000

I purchased my black lace elderberry about 3 years ago and immediately planted in a large centerpiece pot. It had beautiful black leaves but was only 18″ high but spread to about 2-3 feet wide. But this summer we had 63 days 100 degrees or more and after the 55th day all of the leaves died. Even though I watered it daily. But about 3 days ago the leaves are starting to come back but are green. So I hope as they mature they will begin to darken and turn black. I am planning to replant in a larger pot or in a flower bed.

By: kathy

kathy — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:17:44 +0000

Would like to know if you can take cuttings and root the black lace elderberry in water? I also have one 6 foot stem on the plant and would like to make that into a single plant; the stem is about 1-inch in diameter; Can I stick it in the ground about a foot and do you think it will root? I live in zone 5.

By: Administrator

Administrator — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:28:47 +0000

Very early spring, before it gets too leafy, when just budding generally.

By: Russ and Judy

Russ and Judy — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:43:05 +0000

We have a Sambucus nigra that we planted a year and a half ago and we would like to move it.
When is the best time and how should we do it.
We live in a zone six area.

By: Betty Trowbridge-Hagan

Betty Trowbridge-Hagan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:01:41 +0000

Just snagged one on an end-of-season sale. It’s going to go in a part sun, part shade spot that tends to be dry (we’re in sand). I’ll amend the planting hole and water it well. Then I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope it does well. Love the look.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:44:03 +0000

They love full sun but moist soil, New growth is green turning black.

If an older shoot is totally green snip it off otherwise the green will take over.

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:54:37 +0000

I have this plant growing in Zone 8 and in full sun and it is staying black on all sides with the pinkish flowers now coming out all over. It has already grown another trunk branch of over 2 feet just during this spring. It does not seem to like part shade very much judging from a neighbors specimen.

By: Babs

Babs — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:01:36 +0000

I bought some of these plants to start an informal hedge. The nursery tag said the deer wouldn’t like them. Wrong! They mowed through the shrubs. Most of them had doubled in size (to about 4′) in the months before Mama and her twins found them. So this year I have them covered. Hopefully they keep growing fast, so they can get large enough in a couple years to withstand the grazers without protection. I have to finish the row this year, but not sure how much I want to fight the deer over these gorgeous plants.