Sambucus nigra Black Beauty® (Elderberry)

Noted for its dramatic foliage, award-winning Sambucus nigra Black Beauty® (Elderberry) is a large, upright, deciduous shrub or small tree adorned with a rich and lush, lacy foliage of deeply dissected, deep purple leaves from spring to fall. In early summer, a profusion of lemon-scented umbels packed with large, pinkish-purple flowers are on display. They contrast nicely with the dark leaves and give way to edible purple-black berries later in the season. Tough and adaptable, this is a stunning shrub for the back of mixed borders, hedges or screens.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows up to 8-15 ft. tall (240-450 cm) and 4-8 ft. wide (120-240 cm). Spreads freely by self-seeding and by root suckers to form colonies.
• Performs best in full sun or part shade, in moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. Best foliage color when grown in full sun.
• Excellent choice as a single specimen plant, informal screens or hedges.
• May be subject to verticillium wilt and aphids. Deer resistant.
• Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or hardwood cuttings in winter.
• Will tolerate hard pruning to restrict the size; can be maintained as a small shrub. Prune suckers unless naturalizing is desired. Regular pruning of the foliage of this cultivar will encourage growth of additional purple leaves.
• Sambucus nigra contains cyanide-inducing glycosides, primarily in its leaves, roots, seeds, and stems, making it moderately toxic to humans if ingested. Consumption of these parts can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and general malaise. While the ripe berries are generally considered safe when cooked, eating raw or improperly prepared parts of the plant can lead to poisoning. Sambucus nigra does not cause contact dermatitis, but ingestion of its toxic parts should be avoided.
• Elderflowers vs Elderberries: Uses, Safety & When to Harvest

Elderberries belong to the Sambucus genus in the Adoxaceae family, which includes about 5 to 10 species (plus several subspecies and varieties). The most popular are Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), Red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), Blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. caerulea, also published as Sambucus cerulea), and American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis).