Golden Elder Bare Root - Sambucus nigra 'Aurea'

The Golden Elder is a stunning ornamental form of our native Black Elder, grown primarily for its brilliant golden-yellow foliage that lights up the garden from spring through autumn. This eye-catching shrub combines the traditional virtues of elder – fragrant flowers, edible berries, and wildlife value – with the added bonus of luminous foliage that creates a glowing focal point in borders and mixed plantings. Fast-growing and easy to care for, this bare root specimen offers exceptional value and establishes readily to provide years of vibrant colour.

Key Features

• Brilliant golden foliage – bright yellow leaves create a glowing presence

• Fragrant flowers – pink-budded, creamy-white flower heads in early summer

• Edible harvest – flowers and berries for cordials and preserves

• Year-long colour – foliage maintains colour from spring to autumn

• Fast-growing – quickly creates impact and structure

• Wildlife-friendly – flowers attract insects; berries feed birds

• Easy to grow – adaptable and low-maintenance

• Versatile – works in traditional and contemporary gardens

• Can be coppiced – cut back hard for fresh, vibrant foliage

• Bare root format – economical and environmentally friendly, available November to March

Growing Conditions

• Soil type: Tolerates most soils including heavy clay and chalk; prefers moisture-retentive, fertile soil

• Position: Full sun to partial shade (best colour in sun, but tolerates shade better than many golden-leaved plants)

• Hardiness: Fully hardy (RHS H7)

• Aspect: Any

• Moisture: Moist but well-drained

Size & Growth

• Mature height: 3-4 metres (can be kept smaller through pruning or coppicing)

• Mature spread: 2.5-3 metres

• Growth rate: Fast (40-60cm per year)

• Time to maturity: 2-3 years to full impact

Planting Your Bare Root Golden Elder

When to plant: November through March, whilst the shrub is dormant and the ground isn't frozen

Planting tips:

• Soak roots in water for 2-4 hours before planting

• Dig a hole twice the width of the root system

• Plant at the same depth as the soil mark on the stem

• Space 2.5-3 metres apart for screening or group planting

• Backfill with native soil enriched with well-rotted compost

• Water thoroughly after planting

• Apply a mulch around the base

• Position carefully: Best colour in full sun, but afternoon sun with morning shade prevents leaf scorch in hot summers

Care & Maintenance

• Water during dry spells in the first growing season

• Feed with a balanced fertiliser in early spring for best foliage colour

• Pruning options:

  • Light prune after flowering to maintain shape

  • Hard prune (coppice) in late winter for the brightest foliage and compact size

  • Remove any all-green (reverted) shoots immediately

• Can be cut to ground level every 1-2 years for maximum foliage impact

• Generally pest and disease-free

• Watch for leaf scorch in very hot, dry conditions (provide afternoon shade if necessary)

• Once established, relatively drought-tolerant

Seasonal Interest

Spring: Fresh golden-yellow leaves emerge, creating instant brightness

Early Summer (May-June): Pink flower buds open to flat-topped clusters of fragrant, creamy-white flowers against the golden foliage – a beautiful contrast

Summer: Foliage maintains its golden-yellow colour, often developing chartreuse tones; leaves may bronze slightly in hot sun

Late Summer to Autumn (August-September): Glossy purple-black berries develop in clusters

Autumn: Foliage may take on orange-bronze tints before falling

Winter: Bare stems with pale bark; attractive architectural structure

Wildlife Benefits

Golden Elder provides the same wildlife value as the species:

• Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, hoverflies, and butterflies

• Berries are eaten by blackbirds, thrushes, starlings, and other birds

• Dense growth provides nesting sites and shelter

• Leaves support several moth caterpillar species

• Early summer flowering supports a wide range of pollinators

Ideal For

• Mixed shrub borders for foliage contrast

• Contemporary and modern gardens

• Brightening shady areas (tolerates part shade better than many golden plants)

• Cottage gardens with a colourful twist

• Wildlife-friendly gardens

• Edible ornamental gardens

• Specimen planting

• Woodland edge plantings

• Creating focal points and highlights

• Medium to large gardens

Design Ideas

• Colour contrast: Plant behind purple-leaved plants like Cotinus or Berberis for dramatic effect

• Light and shade: Use to brighten woodland edges or dappled shade areas

• Hot borders: Combine with orange, red, and yellow flowers for fiery schemes

• Cool combinations: Pair with blue flowers (delphiniums, geraniums) for complementary contrast

• Foliage tapestry: Mix with other coloured-leaf shrubs for a vibrant display

• Coppiced feature: Hard prune annually for compact, ultra-bright foliage effect

Companion Plants

Create stunning combinations with:

• Purple smoke bush (Cotinus) for maximum contrast

• Blue hardy geraniums at the base

• Orange and yellow crocosmias for hot colour schemes

• Dark-leaved heucheras for foliage interest

• Purple alliums rising through the golden foliage

• Blue hostas for shade combinations

Foraging & Culinary Uses

Like the species, both flowers and berries are edible:

Elderflowers (harvest June):

• Elderflower cordial and champagne

• Dessert flavouring

• Fritters

Elderberries (harvest August-September):

• Elderberry syrup

• Jams and jellies

• Wine-making

• Important: Berries must be cooked before consumption

Safety note: Only flowers and ripe, cooked berries are edible. All other parts are toxic. The golden foliage does not affect edibility.

Things to Consider

• Foliage colour is brightest in full sun, but can scorch in very hot, exposed positions

• May produce occasional all-green shoots – remove these promptly as they'll outcompete the golden growth

• Less vigorous than the green species, but still grows quickly

• Foliage can fade to lime-green by late summer in hot conditions

• Best foliage colour comes from young growth – benefits from regular pruning or coppicing

• May produce fewer berries than the green species

Management for Best Effect

For maximum foliage impact: Coppice (cut to ground level) every 1-2 years in late winter. This produces vigorous shoots with the brightest, largest golden leaves.

For flowers and berries: Prune lightly after flowering, maintaining a larger framework. This allows the shrub to flower and fruit whilst still providing good foliage colour.

For structure: Allow to grow naturally with minimal pruning, creating a small golden tree.

Why Choose 'Aurea' Over the Species?

• Ornamental value – stunning foliage colour from spring to autumn

• Brighter gardens – lights up dull corners and shady areas

• Versatile design – works in both traditional and contemporary schemes

• Year-round impact – foliage interest for 6-7 months

• Still edible – retains the foraging benefits of elder

• Manageable size – slightly less vigorous than the species

• Unique colour – few shrubs offer this intensity of golden foliage

Why Choose Bare Root?

Bare root shrubs are lifted from the field during dormancy and supplied without soil around the roots. This traditional method offers several advantages:

• More economical than container-grown plants

• Better root development and establishment

• Lower carbon footprint (no plastic pots or compost)

• Available during the optimal planting season

• Elder establishes very quickly from bare root

Why Choose Golden Elder?

The perfect combination of beauty and usefulness:

• Show-stopping colour – one of the brightest golden-leaved shrubs

• Fast results – creates impact within one growing season

• Dual purpose – ornamental foliage plus edible harvest

• Wildlife benefits – supports pollinators and birds

• Easy to grow – adaptable and forgiving

• Shade-tolerant – one of the best golden plants for part shade

• Flexible management – grow as shrub or coppice for fresh foliage

• Proven performer – reliable in British gardens

Coppicing Benefits

Regular coppicing (cutting to ground level) offers several advantages:

• Produces the brightest, most vibrant foliage

• Creates larger, more dramatic leaves

• Keeps the plant compact and manageable

• Generates vigorous, healthy growth

• Easy method for rejuvenating older plants

• Perfect for smaller gardens where space is limited

Illuminate your garden with Golden Elder – a fast-growing, golden-leaved shrub that combines dazzling colour with fragrant flowers, edible berries, and wildlife value, all in one easy-to-grow package.
 

Please see our bare root plant guides for more information. We've put together a collect of help and advice articles covering what bare root plants are, why they are a good choice, which plants are available bare root, when and where to plant.

Deciduous plants supplied bare root during the dormancy period will not have any leaves at this time; top growth will just be brown and twiggy to start with and will come into leaf in the spring. This is perfectly normal. The plants we supply are healthy will an extensive root system. Please see the final picture for an illustration of how your plants will look when they are delivered.