Black Lace Elderberry

The Black Lace® Elderberry is a beautiful shrub that combines graceful, deeply-divided ferny foliage with a rich deep-purple to near-black color. Use it for powerful color contrasts with lighter foliage and as a great garden accent. In early summer it has large flat heads of pale pink scented blossoms, and these are followed by deep-purple berries in late summer and fall. Both the flowers and berries can be used for refreshing drinks. It grows into a bush 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, but it can easily be kept more compact with an annual hard pruning.

• Gorgeous ferny leaves are purple-black all season
• Striking broad upright shrub to 6 feet or more
• Beautiful pale-pink flower heads in early summer
• Edible dark-purple berries in late summer and fall
• Beautiful shrub for contrasting colors and forms

Grow the Black Lace® Elderberry in full sun or light shade. Too much shade will turn the leaves greenish. This reliable plant will grow in any garden soil, preferring moister soils, but drought tolerant once established. It has no problems with pests or diseases and deer usually ignore it. Prune in spring – you can cut this plant down almost to the ground to keep it smaller and more compact. The death of some branches over the winter in zone 4 is normal.