Sambucus Eva syn. Black Lace Elder
A Stunning Dark-Leaved Garden Showstopper
Overview
The Sambucus Eva, commonly known as Black Lace Elder, is a truly spectacular ornamental shrub that brings drama and elegance to any garden setting. This striking cultivar transforms the humble elder into a sophisticated garden feature with its deeply dissected, almost black foliage and delicate pink flowers. Perfect for gardeners seeking a plant that offers year-round interest with minimal fuss.
Key Features
This remarkable shrub combines the best of form and function. The finely cut, dark purple-black leaves create an intricate lace-like texture that provides a stunning backdrop for other plantings. In early summer, clusters of fragrant pink flowers emerge, creating a beautiful contrast against the dark foliage. These are followed by glossy black berries that attract wildlife and can be used for culinary purposes.
Growing Conditions
Soil Requirements: Thrives in moist, well-drained soil but is remarkably adaptable to various soil types, including clay and chalk. Prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions but tolerates a wide pH range.
Light Preferences: Performs best in full sun to partial shade. Whilst it will tolerate shadier positions, the foliage colour develops most intensely in good light conditions.
Hardiness: Fully hardy in the UK (RHS H6), withstanding temperatures down to -20°C. Suitable for all regions and coastal locations.
Size and Growth Habit
Reaches approximately 2-2.5 metres in height and spread when mature, typically after 5-10 years. Forms an attractive, rounded shrub with gracefully arching branches. Growth rate is moderate to fast, making it an excellent choice for creating impact relatively quickly.
Seasonal Interest
Spring: Fresh new growth emerges with striking dark foliage Summer: Fragrant pink flower clusters appear in June-July Autumn: Develops clusters of dark berries whilst foliage may take on bronze tones Winter: Attractive bare stems provide structural interest
Planting and Care
Planting: Best planted in autumn or early spring. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and plant at the same depth as it was in the container. Water thoroughly after planting.
Watering: Regular watering during the first growing season helps establish the root system. Once established, it's reasonably drought tolerant but benefits from watering during dry spells.
Feeding: Apply a general-purpose fertiliser in early spring. A mulch of well-rotted compost around the base helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Pruning: Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Can be hard pruned if necessary, as it responds well to cutting back. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain good shape.
Garden Uses
Exceptionally versatile in garden design. Makes an outstanding specimen plant, creates dramatic hedging, or works beautifully in mixed borders where its dark foliage provides contrast to lighter-coloured plants. Particularly effective when planted with silver, yellow, or bright green foliage plants. Also suitable for large containers on patios or terraces.
Wildlife Value
The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, whilst the berries provide food for birds in late summer and autumn. This makes it an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly gardens.
Companion Planting
Pairs beautifully with plants that complement its dark foliage, such as golden hostas, silver-leaved artemisia, or bright flowering perennials like rudbeckia or helenium. Also works well with other shrubs like golden spiraea or variegated dogwood.
Special Notes
The berries are edible when cooked and can be used to make elderberry wine, cordials, or jams, though they should not be eaten raw. The flowers are also edible and can be used to make elderflower cordial or fritters.
This is a low-maintenance shrub that rewards the gardener with exceptional ornamental value throughout the growing season, making it an ideal choice for both novice and experienced gardeners seeking impact with ease of care.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
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