Sambucus nigra 'Eva'
Common Name(s):
Black Lace Elderberry
Black Elder
Synonym:
Sambucus nigra forma porphyrophylla
European Elder
Flower:
Pink
Blooms :
Jun
to:
Jul
Tiny five-petaled flowers in showy, flattened umbel-like cymes to 10" across;
Botanical Description
Fragrant?
YES
Family:
Adoxaceae
Med - Lg Shrub (usually >3' and never < 1.5')
Foliage:
Purple
Compound pinnate leaves with 3-7 ovate to elliptic short-stalked leaflets to 5 inches with sharply serrate margins; generally retains color throughout most of the growing season
Fall Color?
YES
Leaves retain their purple color through fall
Deciduous
Photo by:
Heading 6
Elegant branching structure, occassional persistent berries, structural presence
Oregon Native?
NO
West State Native?
NO
Origins:
Europe, northern Africa, southwestern Asia. Cultivar of European Elder developed in England in 10-year breeding program commenced in 1988. From the Horticulture Research International, East Malling, England; U.S. Plant Patent PP15,575 issued February 22, 2005. Native variety is Sambucus cerulea.
Site Selection
Minimum USDA Hardiness Zone:
4
Water Needs:
M
Sun Needs:
Full Sun
Deer Resistant?
NO
Firewise?
YES
Height:
6-8'
Spread:
6-8'
Growth Rate:
Medium
Native Habitat:
Parent species found in valleys, canyons, washes, slopes, seasonal drainages, and other areas where a little extra moisture is present. Sometimes found as part of wetland/riparian community, other times in more mesic portions of chaparral or woodland.
Soil:
Loamy, well-drained, moist but tolerates a wide range
Care Recommendations
Maintenance Level:
Medium
Fertilizer:
Actively producing mature plant: 1 cup ammonium sulfate per year; phosphorus and potassium based on soil test results
Mulch:
Apply 3 to 4 inches of an acidic mulch from the center of the plant out 4 feet
Remove 3-year-old and older canes or cut back to the ground to rejuvenate; remove all dead, damaged or diseased canes, tip back weak canes
Long Term:
Winter:
Prune in late winter to allow more light, improve branch structure and control size, branches and/or shoots at the base may be removed at any time.
Spring:
Prune suckers as they appear unless naturalizing is desired; remove weeds by hand
Summer:
Prune suckers as they appear unless naturalizing is desired; remove weeds by hand
Fall:
Prune suckers as they appear unless naturalizing is desired; remove weeds by hand; prune diseased, dead, damaged leaves and stems
General Care Comments:
Elderberry produces fruit on current year growth, 1- year-old and some 2-year-old canes. Unpruned plants can rapidly become unattractive and weedy in appearance. For the best fruiting, plan to pair it with a York Elderberry, Black Beauty? or Laced Up? E
Common Problems
Fruit can be messy and cause staining
Diseases:
Canker, powdery mildew, leaf spot
Insects:
Borers, spider mites, aphids, leaf-cutting bee, Emerging pest: spotted-wing drosophila
Environmental Problems:
Branches susceptible to damage from high winds or from heavy snow/ice in winter; ozone pollution
Pests:
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